


Trials and Turbulence

by DragonKnight1990



Series: Trials [1]
Category: Maleficent (2014)
Genre: Comfort/Angst, Eventual Smut, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, There is a rape scene in chapter 24
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-03-10 07:52:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 28
Words: 73,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3282668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonKnight1990/pseuds/DragonKnight1990
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place several years after the movie ends. Aurora's council demands that she marries a prince. She refuses, and that leads to horrific consequences. Can Maleficent save her this time and uphold her promise that no harm should come to her beastie for as long as she lives? Malora pairing will happen later. Also on ff.net.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**A/N: This is my first attempt at writing for the Maleficent fandom. Constructive criticism is always welcome. This work first appeared on ff.net, but due to a little bit of anxiety over what is becoming known as "The Purge," I am transferring my work over here in an attempt to keep it safe.**

_**Prologue** _

The warm summer air hung like a thick cloud over the Moors. It was suffocating. The protector looked out over the faery realm as she rested in her Rowan tree. She had just gone out on her daily patrol along the boarders. Despite the recent peace between the Moors and the human kingdom, she still felt the need to go on her patrols, and she would continue to do so until the day she died. Her wings twitched as her raven companion fluttered in front of her face.

"Oh fine!  _Into a man_." She flicked her wrist at him, and he turned into a man mid-flight.

"Ack!" He exclaimed as he caught himself on a thick branch. He huffed as he pulled himself up. "You know, I hate it when you do that," he grumbled furtively.

"Perhaps you should stop annoying me then," she replied with a raised brow. "At least I did not turn you into a  _dog_ , or a  _mealy worm_." A feint smile met her lips as she thought over those amusing images.

"Oh, that's a trick," he scoffed. "Everything annoys you." She noted how he seemed to ignore her teasing, and found that more amusing than if he had rose to the challenge.

"Not everything." She pursed her red lips in a sour expression. Silence did not annoy her, most of the time. Flying did not annoy her. Her beastie...well, that was a mixed bag.

"You should go see her," he said, and they both knew who he was talking about.

"Diaval, no." She tilted her head back and rested her horns against the trunk of her home. It had been nearly a year since she last laid eyes on the human queen, her beastie. Over the few years she had been queen, her beastie's duties took her farther and farther away from the Moors. As much as it pained Maleficent, she understood. It was all to keep the greedy humans from destroying the tense peace between the two kingdoms. That did not mean that it did not bother the faery. Her thoughts often drifted of late toward her beastie, and she found herself wondering what the queen was up to.

To alleviate some of her worrying, she sent Diaval on scouting missions periodically. His reports were often the same—that Aurora's duties were draining on her, but she was otherwise healthy.

"Oh, come off your high horse! It is obvious that you miss her!"

"Diaval," she growled dangerously. She closed her eyes so that he would not see right through her. Her wings twitched of their own accord, however. She let out a long sigh. "Go check on the little beast.  _Into a bird._ " She opened her eyes and watched him flap away toward the human castle.

* * *

"I do  _not_  want to get married!" The young queen insisted to her council upon their demands for a king for what felt like the thousandth time. "Especially not to the list of suitors you all seem to want me to consider. I will  _not_!" She slapped her hand against the table, as though that made her point that much clearer.

"Tradition states that we are ruled by a king, Your Majesty," said an old man a couple seats to Aurora's left. He looked decrepit, but his age offered wisdom that Aurora could not afford to lose. "Perhaps if we were to host a Ball on your name day, it would—"

"No," stated Aurora firmly. She grew weary of her council's demands, which were growing more insistent than ever. "None of these men are fit to become king." She thought,  _hoped_ even that her reasoning would get through to the council.

"Might I remind you, Your Majesty," began another, this one far younger and much more vicious in his counsel, "that as Queen, your duty to the kingdom is to produce an heir and a spare. In order to do so, you must take a King." His smile was wolfish, and it made the hairs on the back of Aurora's neck stand on end. "You are of childbearing age, and that will not last as long as you want to stall the inevitable."

Aurora frowned. She stood, careful not to appear too clumsy. "I grow weary of this discussion. Let us retire until tomorrow morn." She walked briskly from the council chambers and into the solace of her own room before any of them could object.

By the time she reached her chambers, she was exhausted. The muscles on her neck and back were tight and knotted from all the stress her council was putting her through. She threw herself to her bed and released a sigh of relief now that she could be alone to her thoughts.

Marriage was not something she wanted, and no matter how much she voiced her opinion on the matter, or  _how_  she said it to the council, they still brought it up. Marriage would mean being sidelined by her husband while she became his brood mare. While she liked children, she wanted to be treated as an equal, but she did not see how she could in a largely patriarchal society.

And then there was the matter of her godmother. She doubted that her faery godmother would accept any man worthy of courting her. Thinking of her godmother brought a twinge of yearning to Aurora's heart. Nearly a year without visiting the Moors was nearly a year too long. She couldn't go though, not without risking the council ripping the rug of her authority from beneath her feet at the first sign of her absence.

A loud knock brought her from her far away thoughts and back to the present. She stood and made herself presentable; something she was loath to do, but human customs demanded it. "Enter."

The door opened to reveal one of her council. The one with the wolfish grin, William. He was tall and broad. His long ginger beard went down to his chest. The hair atop his head was starting to thin and become grey. "Your Majesty," he said gruffly, bowing to her.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked with genuine sweetness.

His eyes roamed over her, and she felt her skin crawl at the way he seemed to be assessing her like a piece of meat at market. "I must insist that you reconsider the council's request."

"Why?" Aurora's headache was already returning at the mention of marriage. If only her council would simply drop the subject, then she could move on to more pressing matters, such as the kingdom's still struggling economy.

"If you do not produce a legitimate heir, the kingdom will fall into a civil war upon your death."

She frowned. That was not something she considered. "I don't want to marry," she insisted stubbornly. "If I end up not having children, I will indicate a successor in my will."

"Why you wretched whore!" His face was suddenly twisted in rage, but he stayed where he was. "That witch of the Moors got into your head somehow! She wants the kingdom to be without an heir!"

Aurora couldn't stop herself. She slapped William across the face, and the sound reverberated against her chamber walls. While she knew her reaction wasn't the most ladylike, she could not stand idly by while this man insulted both her and her godmother.

* * *

Diaval flapped his wings as fast as he could as he raced back toward the Moors. He had to tell his Mistress—no, he could not think of such things now. It would only slow him down, and time was of the essence. He felt as though the wind was against him as it was.

He flapped his wings harder, even through the burn he was exposing his flight muscles to. He had to reach his Mistress...he had to warn her before it was too late... As he flew over the border of the Moors, he let out a desperate caw.

"Diaval!" His Mistress had not only heard him; she flew toward him.

They landed together in a grove near the stream where they used to watch Aurora play with the wallerbogs.

" _Into a man_!"

He fell to his knees and took several deep breaths. He was shaking; his entire body cried out to him, but none of that mattered now. All that mattered was, "Aurora..."

"What? Diaval! What happened to her?" His Mistress demanded harshly.

"She's in trouble, Mistress... There was—"

His Mistress wasted no time taking to the skies. She hadn't even bothered turning him back to his true, beautiful self. He would not complain this time though. Aurora needed his Mistress more than he needed to fly. Besides, if his Mistress waited for him to keep up, they might be too late. He collapsed, knowing that there was nothing more he could do for Aurora except wait for his Mistress to rescue her.

_To be continued..._

 


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Just as a warning, this chapter is not for the feint hearted as it contains abuse. I was also going to wait to put this chapter up, but I got impatient. If any of you readers have any ideas for me that you would like to see, please feel free to message me. Or find me on Tumblr.**  

_**Chapter 1** _

Aurora yelped as William grabbed her by the hair. She struggled when she felt his hand over her mouth, and she bit him. He let out an angry howl before striking her across the cheek. The force of the hit sent her tumbling to the ground. She landed with a grunt. When she glared up at him, she could already feel the bruise coloring her cheek.

"You impudent little wench!" He snarled at her. "You will learn your place!"

"I am your queen!" Aurora cried haughtily. She tilted her chin up as she rose to her feet, acting just as her godmother had taught her early in her reign. She thought that the faery would be proud of her for the dignified way she held herself in front of the councilman.

"You are a woman!" He lunged at her a second time. This time, he managed to wrap his fingers around her windpipe, and she choked. Whenever she got brave enough to fight back, his grip tightened, which ultimately led her to submitting. He used his grip to lead her through the empty castle corridors.

She panicked upon seeing how empty her castle was, or at least seemed. Where was everyone? Surely, some of her staff wandered to and fro in order to complete the many tasks that kept her castle going. She could do no more than gasp and choke as William led her. If she struggled, he could crush her windpipe, as he had already demonstrated, and she believed that he would do it if she pushed him far enough.

"You are going to learn your place before I am done with you,  _Your Majesty_."

She whimpered pitifully. She was frightened of what he would do to her. Would he rape her? But if that was his plan, why didn't he do it in her own chamber?

She retreated into the depths of her mind. It was the only thing she could do to numb the experience. She hoped,  _prayed_  that someone,  _anyone_  would find and rescue her. _'Godmother...'_  The thought of the faery brought a small comfort to her. Her faery godmother wouldn't allow anything bad to happen to her. She even swore that she heard a frantic caw in the distance.

She returned to the present when she felt her wrists being bound to a post. She winced when she felt William tightening the rope to the point that it cut into her skin. Panic returned in full force when she felt her dress being ripped from her. She cried out, but her throat hurt too much to be very loud. Tears streamed freely down her bruised cheeks.

"Women are subservient to men," said William before there was a whooshing and several sharp blades dug into her back.

She screamed from the pain. "Please..." She sobbed. Oh, how it strung to be flogged in such a way. Not only was there the physical pain, which was agonizing, but there was also the pain of the humiliation and betrayal she felt. These were instruments that she had banned from her kingdom shortly after becoming queen. He was on her council; he was supposed to be loyal to her. She cried out, and not because of the flogging she was taking.

"Your place is below men." A second strike had her arching her back and crying for mercy.

She could feel blood start to fall down her back. "Please...stop..." Her throat felt raw. She was uncertain how much more she could take. Surely not much.

"A queen cannot rule without a king." Again, he flogged her.

"AH!" She wanted her godmother. If her godmother could just get to her, then everything would be ok. Her godmother would make the pain go away.

"A queen's duty is to produce heirs." The bladed whips came down on her back a fourth time.

Her vision blurred, and it was for that reason that she was not sure if what she saw was actually there. "Godmother..." She smiled weakly before slumping into the post she was tied to.

* * *

Maleficent's eyes widened at the sight before her. She was in the shadows, so the man didn't see her yet. Her beastie was tied to a post, being flogged. The metallic smell of blood she knew all too well from her sixteen years war with the girl's father met her nostrils. What she saw was worse than what she feared when Diaval returned, exhausted to the Moors. She wasn't sure what she expected when she raced off to the human kingdom, but this certainly was not it.

The man raised the whip again. Just as it was coming down, Maleficent rushed to block it. The blades cut into her forearm, and she hissed as she felt the iron burn her skin. She used her wings to slam the human into the wall behind him. She heard the crunch as his skull hit stone, and just like that, he was a forgotten heap of bones and flesh.

She hissed as she ripped the iron tipped razors of the whip from her forearm. The wounds were minor, and they would heal quickly. But her beastie... "Aurora!" She gasped as she whipped around and rushed to the young queen's side.

Upon closer inspection of the wounds on the queen's back, she was able to determine that the damage was bad, and would get worse if left untreated. She untied Aurora's wrists and gently lowered her to the floor.

"Hn?" Her beastie's eyes opened, revealing pain and confusion, and the simplistic expression tugged at Maleficent's heart. "Godmother?" She rasped, her voice nearly gone.

"Hush, beastie." Maleficent smiled softly as she caressed Aurora's cheek. It was a forced gesture, but it got her beastie to once again close her eyes.

She lifted her beastie into her arms, careful not to strain her queen's wounds. She took a moment to glance down at the deceivingly peaceful look on her beastie's face before striding through the castle. She was careful to avoid the human staff and guards, not knowing enough of the situation to try and explain why she carried the injured queen. It was only due to her experience of two decades keeping in the shadows that allowed her to avoid the humans.

Once she was outside, she took flight. The added weight of Aurora slowed her down, not that she tried to race toward the Moors anyway; she didn't want Aurora to get too cold. She had to balance that desire with getting Aurora's wounds cleaned and looked at, as well as the danger she faced if a human archer caught sight of her.

"Godmother...please..."

Maleficent glanced down. Her beastie was still asleep, but her face was scrunched up in pain. "I'm right here, beastie," she murmured. "I'm not going anywhere. You're safe." Those words seemed to do the trick because Aurora's face relaxed.

As she crossed over into the Moors, she started looking for Diaval. She was going to need his help treating Aurora's wounds, which she expected was going to be messy and cause her beastie agony. She hated the thought of doing anything to cause her beastie the slightest bit of pain, as short lived as it was going to be, especially after such a trying ordeal. Still, it was all for Aurora's own good. The wounds had to be cleaned, otherwise infection would set in, if it hadn't already.

She found Diaval near where she left him and landed next to him.

"Mistress!—Aurora!—" He loped clumsily toward Maleficent, closing the distance between them.

"She's alive, Diaval," she said through clenched teeth. "I need you to find some passionflower, knitbone calendula, gotu kola, yarrow, and plantain leaves."

Diaval's eyes widened slightly at the list of herbs she required. He gave a short nod before she flicked her wrist at him and turned him back into a raven.

She watched him fly off to perform her task. She grimaced as she took flight once again, this time heading toward her Rowan.

Once she got to her tree and landed, she gently placed Aurora on her bed. She sat next to her beastie and stroked the queen's long golden locks. It was as much about calming her beastie's sudden restlessness as it was about calming her own nerves. Petting her beastie was all she could do to keep from pacing and fretting about while she waited for Diaval to return with the herbs.

A loud squawk brought her from her troubled thoughts. She looked up to see Diaval gliding toward the tree. She waited for him to land before flicking her wrist and said, " _Into a man_."

"What do you need me to do now, Mistress?" he asked, looking nervously between Maleficent and Aurora.

"Smash those herbs into a paste. Then you are going to  _gently_  apply the salve to Aurora's back while I hold the little beastie down."

Diaval nodded solemnly as he set to his task. They were silent while he worked, except for when Aurora whimpered and Maleficent gently soothed her back to sleep.

"Mistress..." He looked up at her as he finished making the herbs into a thick paste.

Maleficent glared at him, but said nothing.

He swallowed the lump in his throat before he continued, "The salve is ready."

Maleficent's face was stricken with conflict. She knew that what she was about to have her man-raven servant do was going to cause Aurora agonizing pain, but it was all for healing the beastie, or at least that is what she told herself to convince her heart that was the right thing to do. She shifted, and her wings twitched. She settled Aurora's head in her lap and placed her hands firmly on her beastie's shoulders before she nodded at Diaval. She was too afraid to speak, though she would never openly admit to it.

Diaval spread the thick salve over Aurora's back as gently as he could. Despite this, Aurora still cried out and struggled against Maleficent to get away. The raven turned man hesitated and looked up at his mistress.

"Aurora!" Maleficent barked. She fought to keep her beastie still.

Aurora's eyes were open, though Maleficent could not remember when her beastie opened her eyes. Azure met yellow-green. Maleficent held her gaze, and her heart seemed to stop beating in that moment. The fear and confusion and pain all swirled in those blue orbs, and the faery was loath to continue looking into those depths.

"Godmother...please...it hurts..." Aurora sobbed, and the sound of her beastie's voice thick with pain broke Maleficent's heart.

"Hush, beastie," she murmured. She stroked Aurora's cheek, and was surprised her charge leaned into the touch. "It'll all be over soon. I'm right here, and I'm not ever going to leave you. This salve will help you, and I know it hurts. You've got to be strong for me and bear the pain just a little while longer."

"Godmother...I..." Aurora fell silent as she leaned against Maleficent for support. She tugged at the front of the faery's robes and nodded.

"Diaval."

He nodded hesitantly. He rubbed more of the salve into Aurora's back and cringed when Aurora muffled a scream. She still moved, out of instinct, but Maleficent's hold on her was firm.

"You're doing well, beastie. Just a little more." Maleficent kept repeating the words like a mantra, both to herself and the injured queen, doing all she could to encourage the child she loved more deeply than anything, including the Moors.

The tempest within her was coming into a high point, but she could not give in to the storm of wild emotions she was feeling now. Her beastie needed her, and she would stay next to the girl for as long as she needed to. The coming weeks were going to be crucial to ensure her ray of light did not darken with despair as she had so many years ago.

She barely noticed when Diaval sat back with a heavy sigh. She looked down at her beastie, who had gone mostly limp against her, save for the heavy panting and slight quivering. She gently stroked Aurora's hair.

"I've done all I can, Mistress. Now we wait for the salve to do the rest."

"I'm aware of that, Diaval," replied Maleficent with a bite in her voice. Her wings drooped, all the events of that day played in her weary mind: sending Diaval to check on Aurora, finding out that the queen was in trouble, racing to the human castle to rescue the light of her life, finding her beastie being unceremoniously flogged, killing the man doing the flogging, taking the human beast from the castle back to the Moors, and finally sitting with her while her loyal servant did all he could to heal her. "Diaval, I need you to double the patrol at the boarder."

"Of course, Mistress," he replied. His eyes, however, remained on Aurora.

"She will be fine, Diaval.  _Into a bird_!" She flicked her wrist, and he transformed back into a raven. She watched as he flew off toward the boarder of the once warring kingdoms.

Maleficent buried her face in Aurora's hair. For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to weep. Her body shook with her sobs. Her mind was racked with guilt. On Aurora's sixteenth birthday, she had made a promise to never allow any harm to come to her for as long as she lived, and now she had broken that promise.

"Oh, my sweet Aurora, I'm so very sorry." She wrapped her wings around them both and rocked back and forth until she fell into an exhausted slumber.

_To be continued…_

 


	3. Chapter 2

** _**Chapter 2** _ **

When Aurora woke, she winced. Her back was sore, but now it was a dull throb rather than a hot burning. Her head was also aching.

She looked up to see her faery godmother sound asleep, and much to Aurora's sudden delight, she was snoring softly. She smiled, unable to help herself. She had never seen her guardian look so peaceful.

Her godmother's wings shined gloriously in the sun as the rays of light caught the feathers. Aurora reached up tentatively and stroked along the feathers, amazed by their softness. She pulled back when the wing twitched, and looked up to see Maleficent's passive eyes on her. She blushed at the intensity of the gaze.

"I'm sorry, godmother," she said quietly.

Her godmother granted her one of her rare smiles. "You have nothing to apologize for, beastie. Especially not your curiosity."

Aurora squeaked when her godmother pulled her closer.

"Did I hurt you?" the faery asked, alarmed. She immediately relinquished her hold on Aurora.

"No." Aurora shook her head. She leaned into her godmother's warm, protective embrace, seeking the comfort she knew would never be denied to her. "I know you'd never hurt me, godmother."

"How is your back?"

"Better. It's...more of a dull throb now..." She looked up at her godmother's pain stricken gaze. She reached up to lightly caress sharp cheekbones. "Godmother...I...I was so scared..." Tears welled up in her eyes before they flowed down her cheeks.

"Sh, beastie." Maleficent rubbed Aurora's head in an attempt to comfort the wailing girl. "You don't have to tell me what happened."

Aurora hiccupped. She bit back a groan when the movement caused her back to spasm; it came out as a whimper.

"Beastie?"

"I'm fine, godmother. I just...moved the wrong way." As much as she wanted to lie to protect her godmother, she knew it would be futile. The faery always saw through her façade. "I mean...these wounds will heal. They might not even scar." She forced a smile.

"Aurora," her godmother said softly, and the younger of the pair knew the next words from the faery's mouth were going to be serious. "Do not pretend to be all right for my sake. I know you're hurting. But you're not alone. You don't have to bear it all by yourself. I am right here, and I will never leave you."

Tears brimmed in Aurora's eyes again. She wrapped her thin arms around her faery and squeezed tightly while she buried her face in the crook of Maleficent's neck. "Thank you, godmother," she sniffled.

She felt strong arms wrap around her carefully, and she felt safe for the first time in a very long while. With her godmother there, she knew that no harm could come to her, that she would be safe.

A blush colored her cheeks when she felt her stomach rumble. She shifted slightly in her embarrassment.

"Hungry, beastie?"

"A little..."

"Do you think you can get up? We could go bathe too, if you're up for it. That salve is caked into your skin."

Aurora noted how Maleficent kept her voice gentle. The choice was hers, but she suspected that eventually her godmother would insist on a bath and proper food. She nodded. "I would like that..."

"Let me help you."

The young queen allowed Maleficent to help her to her feet, and upon swaying and feeling a wave of dizziness, she leaned against the tall faery for support. Her legs shook from the effort of keeping her upright.

* * *

Maleficent held the young girl up. She was worried at her beastie's frightened expression. She watched as Aurora tried to take a step away from her support, and was quick to grab the queen when it became apparent that she could not hold her own weight.

"Beastie." The word was simple, but it held so much more. It revealed the depths of her adoration, worry, devotion, and love for the creature who was now pressed up against her. She blushed, and was glad the little beast could not see her face. "It appears I must carry you." And she did. She scooped Aurora into her arms before gliding toward her personal pool where she knew there were nut and berry trees for them to eat from, after they bathed of course.

When she landed, she gently set Aurora down. She knelt down and cupped the youth's bruised cheek. "Your cheek. Who hit you?" Darkness colored her words, and she swore to destroy the one who did this to her beastie.

Aurora looked away and bit her bottom lip. "William... He was—he was on my council."

Maleficent growled low in her throat. She bared her teeth in a near silent snarl.

"Godmother?" At Aurora's frightened voice, Maleficent retained control over her outward features. Still, she could not deny that seeing her beastie so beaten and battered left her wanting to rip apart those responsible.

"He...he was..." She did not finish her explanation verbally. Instead, she reached for her back, and Maleficent put the pieces together.

"He won't touch you again, beastie," she swore, her voice gravelly. She wiped away her beastie's tears. "Come now, let us get washed up." She helped Aurora to her feet and helped her charge out of the remainder of her dress. She unclasped her robes and allowed them to pool at her feet before gently leading Aurora to the water.

She gently washed Aurora, starting with the girl's front so as to avoid the pain of washing her queen's back until last. She was perplexed at Aurora's blushing when she washed her breasts. "Beastie?"

"Hm?" Aurora looked startled, and Maleficent found the expression...cute was not an adequate description.

"Why are you blushing so?" Maleficent teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"Huh? Oh! Um...well, my handmaidens always got uncomfortable with bathing me, even though I told them I could manage myself."

"Tsk! I will never understand humans with their strange customs of modesty," Maleficent declared, shaking her head. "One should not be ashamed of a body."

"I know, godmother." Aurora leaned against Maleficent's bare shoulder and sighed.

"Beastie?"

"I'm just...tired." Aurora yawned and slipped closer to the very puzzled faery.

"I still need to wash your hair and your back, you little beast."

"Alright." Aurora rose to allow Maleficent to scrub her hair. "Mmm..." The girl purred as Maleficent massaged her scalp.

The faery smiled fondly. She tilted the girl's head back to rinse, and when Aurora tensed, she gently reminded the queen that she would not let her drown. As soon as she was done rinsing Aurora's hair, she grimaced sourly. Now she had to do the one thing she was putting off, scrubbing her beastie's back.

"Aurora?"

"Yes, godmother?"

"I'm going to scrub your back now." She waited for Aurora's nod, and when she got it, she began scrubbing the girl's back as gently as she could.

Aurora hissed and gasped, despite Maleficent's feather light touches. She refused to make Maleficent stop, even when the faery offered to do so.

The scabs beneath the salve ran down from Aurora's shoulders to her lower back. The wounds still looked angry, but Maleficent could detect no sign of infection. Still, the sight caused for the storm inside Maleficent to rage.

"G...godmother?" Aurora cried tentatively. She turned and reached out to caress the faery's sharp cheekbones. "Godmother, come back to me...please?"

The sound of her voice was distant, but Maleficent returned to the present, to her little beastie. She still growled, but Aurora did not back away, which surprised the faery.

"Easy, godmother... I'm ok. I'm alive thanks to you."

"Aurora...I'm so sorry." And just like that, Maleficent brought Aurora into a near crushing embrace. She only loosened her grip when her beastie told her she couldn't breathe. "Sorry..."

"It's ok, godmother. I know you're just worried about me."

"More than a little," Maleficent admitted. She planted a soft kiss on Aurora's temple before lifting her up and carrying her to the water's edge. She set her charge down at the base of a tree, and was careful to wrap her in her discarded robe. "Rest now, beastie. I will wake you when I have gathered food."

She waited until Aurora was sleeping soundly before returning to the pond. She washed her body as quickly as she could, and even that took time. She preened her feathers last, and by the time she was clean, an hour had gone by. She periodically looked over at Aurora to ensure that all was well, and that none of the Moorland creatures disturbed their queen.

She would not be surprised to learn that every creature here knew of Aurora's current condition, but she still wanted prying eyes away from her beastie, at least until she was strong enough to go about with her loving subjects. She shared their worry, held more of it for her beastie, actually. But she knew that Aurora was not ready to be in the company of so many. Maleficent didn't even know yet the full extent of the emotional trauma Aurora was experiencing. She did know that Aurora's smiles were part of a mask; how could they not be? Then again, one of Aurora's "aunts" gave the beastie the gift of never being blue at her christening. She had scoffed angrily at it then, but perhaps now it wasn't so bad to never know sadness.

She dismissed the thought. The gift was just something that would hold the inevitable storm of pain at bay until her beastie snapped. Maleficent shuddered to think of that happening, but she could not deny the possibility. Darker days were on the horizon for the young human, and all Maleficent could do was to be there for her beastie in a way no one was there for her when the late king betrayed her. She would not allow Aurora to go down the same dark path, justified or not.

Maleficent sighed at her dark musings and dismissed them for later. She had to collect food, and that was what she did. She wandered the immediate vicinity and collected a sizable collection of berries and nuts for her and Aurora. She also used her magic to craft a modest set of blue robes for Aurora.

She returned to find her beastie still sleeping soundly. "Sleeping beauty, indeed," she mused quietly to herself. She knelt down and gently touched the girl's shoulder. "Beastie, time to wake up."

"Gn... Five more minutes, Shae..."

Maleficent's eyes softened.  _'Who is Shae, I wonder?'_  She sighed. "Beastie."

Aurora blinked awake. "Huh? Oh, godmother..." She smiled, but it was only a dim reminder of brighter days when her smile would light up Maleficent's spirit.

"Who is Shae?" Maleficent teased as she helped Aurora into the robes she made her.

"Godmother, these are beautiful!" Aurora gasped.

"You're avoiding the question, you little beast." Maleficent teased as she lowered Aurora back down and donned her own robe before sitting down.

"Um...she's one of my handmaidens..." Aurora blushed. "She's close to my own age. One of my only friends in that castle..."

Maleficent nodded. "Do you want to return to the castle?" She asked as she offered a berry to her queen. She hoped that her voice remained passive, but she feared that Aurora would wish to return to her human kingdom and abandon her, like the late king had so many years ago…

"I can feed myself, godmother!" Aurora huffed indignantly, to which Maleficent laughed, ignoring her nagging fear of abandonment.

She quickly regained composure, but Aurora's insistence at being independent lifted her mood by leaps and bounds. Sure, she still wanted nothing more than to fly to the human castle and raze it to the ground, but that did not mean that she could not at least provide a more positive example for her beastie.

"You did not answer my question," Maleficent reminded her as she cracked a nut shell with her pointed teeth.

"I...I never liked it there, godmother. The humans are so cruel... I want to stay here in the Moors with you!"

And Maleficent was reminded when her queen made a similar request, before her three idiotic "aunts" ruined her plan to keep Aurora safe from the curse she placed on the girl as an infant and sent her running to her own doomed fate. She dipped her horned head slightly, and said, "If that is what you wish, beastie." Her heart skipped a beat at the first true smile she had seen from her beastie since bringing her back to the Moors.

_To be continued…_

 


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: This is not my favorite chapter I've written so far, but it is important for the plot. I would greatly appreciate some ideas on how to make it better for a very probable rewrite in the near future. I would also like to thank everyone for reading this. That alone does wonders for my confidence as a writer.**

_**Chapter 3** _

As soon as Maleficent settled Aurora into her bed at her Rowan, she kissed the girl's temple.

"Godmother?" Aurora squeaked.

"I need to leave you here for a little while to find Diaval," Maleficent explained gently. "You'll be safe here." She set the pouch of left over nuts and berries in Aurora's lap.

"Can I come with?"

"Afraid not, beastie. I'll bring Diaval back with me." She ran her long fingers along Aurora's soft cheek. "Get some rest."

Maleficent smiled softly at her beastie's pout, but she still did not give in. She was reminded of when she was a child and would ask for Maleficent to pick her up. That particular memory of the first time Aurora did that sent a shock through her heart. She placed another gentle kiss on her beastie's forehead before taking flight.

Leaving Aurora alone in her Rowan was difficult, but she had her duty to protect all of the Moors. She was confident that her beastie would remain safe in her haven. That still made her want to get her duties over with as quickly as possible. And so she raced toward the border.

She landed when she spotted Diaval flying toward her. She turned him into a man and waited for him to regain his balance.

"Mistress," he greeted. "How is Aurora?"

"Better," she reported. "Any disturbance on the border?" She raised an impassive brow expectantly.

He shook his feathered head. "Everything's been quiet. I did double the patrol as you ordered, Mistress."

Maleficent frowned. She wasn't going to complain about the borders being calm, but she knew that by now the humans must know their queen is missing. It was only a matter of time before they massed the army to go searching for her.

"Mistress?" Diaval shifted, a telltale sign of his nervousness.

"I'm conflicted, Diaval," she confessed forcefully. "I promised the beastie that I would bring you back with me, but I must know what is going on at the castle."

"I could come back to the Rowan with you, for a little while at least. Until Aurora falls asleep. Then I could go and scout the castle."

Maleficent's eyes lit up at the idea. "How wonderful." She turned him back into a raven and flew with him at her side back to their shared Rowan.

When she landed, Aurora jumped awake. She remained still at seeing Aurora's fearful gaze.  _'Here it comes,'_  she thought, bracing herself.

The screaming she was waiting for never happened. As soon as Aurora saw Diaval, her face lit up. For that, Maleficent felt a wave of gratitude for her raven companion. She watched the scene unfold, ready to jump in at a moment's notice should Aurora remember her fear.

"Pretty bird." Aurora smiled, though there was a sadness in her eyes as she stroked Diaval's feathers, and he cawed softly. He nipped her hand playfully with his beak and hopped onto her shoulder.

The look on her beastie's face was peaceful. It was like the previous night had never happened. Or the last four years since Aurora's coronation. The sight of Aurora happy made Maleficent come closer to forgetting the horrors she saw the previous night, like it was all part of a long forgotten nightmare, even though she knew better.

Aurora's smile faltered when Diaval nuzzled her cheek with his beak. Maleficent wanted nothing more than to sweep in and remove the fear from her beastie's mind. It hurt more than she knew possible watching the one she loved as dearly as the Moors experience the harshness the world of men had to offer.  _'Humans... She's definitely not like the rest.'_ She was glad that her beastie was not like the rest of her kind. Her beastie simply did not possess the inclination toward cruelty or greed, and Maleficent often wondered at that. She guessed that it was because for the first sixteen years of her life, three pixies, a raven and a wicked faery raised her.

"Godmother?"

"Yes, beastie?" Maleficent replied in her soft tone. She came out of her thoughts with a start.

"Why...why are people so cruel?"

The question felt like a knife being stabbed and then twisted in her chest before being ripped out. All the air left her lungs. She recalled how she felt after the late king betrayed her by drugging her to sleep and cutting away her wings. It drove her to lay a curse on an innocent infant...on her beastie. Then she remembered how after time, she healed by learning to love her beastie, who for so long was the painful reminder of the king's betrayal. All of that combined could not come close to how she felt in that moment.

"Diaval, I believe you have a task to complete." She met his obsidian eyes, willing him to understand her need to have this discussion private, before he took flight.

"Beastie..." She swept in next to Aurora and held her close. "I cannot provide the answers you seek, for I do not understand why humans can be so cruel. But I have witnessed kindness in humans, too. You taught me that." She nuzzled the top of Aurora's head affectionately.

"I've never hurt anyone!" Aurora sobbed. "I don't understand why William did this to me!" She started smacking and punching Maleficent. The faery winced as the frantic blows made contact with her sides, but she dared not retaliate. She understood all too well what Aurora was going through, and she believed that if she fought back, the end result would not be productive in any way to her beastie recovering. She simply took the blows with all the patience she could muster without a single cry or attempt to restrain her queen.

"Sh, beastie. I know. I know..." She held Aurora close when the blows stopped and allowed the human girl to cry into her shoulder. She just let her beastie release all her pent up emotions from the ordeal, but wished she could do more. It pained her to see one as sweet as her Aurora in such a state. "No one will hurt you again, not while I'm here. I'll help you get through this, my little beastie." She petted Aurora's head in an attempt to soothe her.

After a while, an idea struck her. She had seen mothers rocking wailing babes while singing lullabies. She did not know any human songs, but she knew the ones her Moorland friends taught her as a child.

She rocked Aurora and started to sing softly. "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream. I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam. And I know it's true, that visions are seldom what they seem. But if I know you, I know what you'll do. You'll love me at once. The way you did once upon a dream..." By the time she was finished singing, her beastie was snoring softly.

"Once you're strong enough, I am going to teach you how to defend yourself," Maleficent swore softly. She knew that there was no way for her to constantly be there to save her little beastie, so the best thing she could do was to teach a little self-defense.

* * *

Diaval flew with the wind at his back all the way to the human castle. By the time he reached the great monstrosity, the sun was setting behind the hills. He landed on a rampart overlooking the kingdom. In the distance, he could see the Moors as a fleck against the horizon.

His body burned with the effort from his two flights to the castle in the last twenty-four hours. The only reason he agreed to these long flights so close together was for Aurora's sake. He worried for the hatchling, and he knew his Mistress did too, even though she was far too proud to admit it. Besides, actions spoke louder than words, and his Mistress was a fine example of that. He noticed the tender way she acted toward Aurora, though he would never bring it up for fear of being turned into a dog, or a worm, or worse…

He shuddered before preening his disheveled feathers. As much as he enjoyed seeing the hatchling awake and all too happy to pet him, she still did not understand how to do so without messing up his feathers. Someday, he would fix that.

When he finished, the sun was completely down. He decided to use the darkness as cover to fly through an open window and perched in the rafters in the throne room.

He recalled doing something similar when he was sent to spy on Stefen and finding out he was to be crowned king for betraying his Mistress. His feathers ruffled at the memory. That was a dark time, and he hoped not to repeat it. Of course, all that would depend on the news he brought back to his Mistress and Aurora. He did not expect the news to be good.

He fell into a light sleep, popping his head up whenever someone moved beneath him.

The following morning, the commotion below woke him. He nearly reprimanded the humans for so rudely disturbing his sleep until he remembered why he was in the castle in the first place, so he stayed his caw and watched and listened.

"My son is dead, and the queen is gone!" An elderly robust man shouted. "I demand action!"

"What do you propose we do?" Another man, this one ancient and wheezing, demanded.

"I know I saw that witch of the Moors flying toward the castle on the night of my son's murder! She must've murdered William and took our queen for ransom!"

Diaval ruffled his feathers at the accusations. His Mistress was only rescuing Aurora after that oaf's son abused their hatchling. He wanted to peck his eyes out, but he reasoned that was not the best call of action, for the time being. There would be time enough for that later. And perhaps he could request his Mistress to turn him into a dragon when they dealt with the rabble of Aurora's court.

"No demands of ransom have been made," replied the older. Diaval liked him so far. But the raven could tell the man did not have many winters left.

"That witch got into our queen's head; I know it! The queen refuses to be married! She goes against tradition!"

Diaval found it difficult to control his urge to savage that man. No one made demands of his hatchling! He would definitely put Aurora's refusal of marriage in his report to his Mistress. It was absurd that his hatchling's council would demand that of her. He also felt proud at her ability to stand her ground against something she didn't want to do.

The ancient man wheezed a sigh. "Lord Gregory, I feel I should remind you that you speak treason. Queen Aurora has decreed that no one is to speak ill of the Protector of the Moors. Now, even though she is still missing, I feel we must uphold her laws."

"That proves my point, Lord Alfred! Why would she decree such protections to the witch who murdered our late king, our queen's  _father_  if the witch hasn't put another spell on her? I say we go into the Moors and squash those creatures!"

"That is not for you to say," wheezed Lord Alfred, getting angry.

"Then we should vote in a regent, at least until we can rescue our queen," amended Lord Gregory in a much more civil manner.

Diaval did not like the direction that could take. If the wrong nobleman took regency, it could mean disaster. He cawed nervously, and was glad the noblemen below did not seem to notice him.

"Very well," sighed Lord Alfred. "We will put it to a vote at dusk. Inform the rest of the council."

Diaval could not wait that long. He stretched his wings and flew out of the castle and back toward the Moors. He had to tell his Mistress everything he heard, and she was not going to like it one bit.

* * *

Aurora woke early that morning. She scrambled to look for her godmother when she noticed the faery was missing. "Godmother? GODMOTHER!" Her heart pounded wildly.

"I'm right here, beastie," said her godmother, her voice soothing. She landed next to the bed and was knocked back when Aurora launched at her.

"Please don't ever leave me!" Aurora sobbed.

"Beastie..."

She felt her godmother's arms gently encircle her. She clutched harder, afraid that if she let go, her godmother would fly away and never return.

"Aurora, what has got you so troubled?"

"I—I had a nightmare..."

She felt her godmother stiffen. "Do you wish to talk about it?"

"You—you went away...and I was left alone..."

"Beastie... I would never abandon you. I was just patrolling the border of the Moors, to keep you safe."

Aurora calmed down somewhat. She slumped into her godmother, still feeling too weak to stand on her own for more than a couple moments. She felt her godmother lift her and jump lightly onto the ground below. She snuggled into the faery's warmth.

"Are you hungry, beastie?"

She nodded and heard her godmother's light chuckle. When she opened her eyes again, her godmother was flying. She squealed and flung her arms around her godmother's neck.

"Beastie...you're choking me..."

"Oh! Sorry, godmother!" Aurora blushed as she loosened her grip. She still buried her face into the crook of her godmother's neck.

"Does flying frighten you, beastie?" Her godmother teased after landing near her bathing pool.

Aurora blushed. "Not really," she mumbled bashfully. "It's the most exhilarating thing I've ever experienced!" She looked up to see her godmother's small smile, and returned it with one of her own.

They ate and bathed together while they waited for Diaval to return. Both human and faery were silent throughout their wait. Aurora was nervous about what news the raven would return with; she knew that it couldn't be good. She had no clue what was going on in her godmother's head, having long given up trying to fully understand those who inhabited the Moors. She figured that the mystery that she had no desire to fully solve kept her fascination of the world around her high. It also kept her more or less sane to keep something in her life an unknown because it increased her drive to continue learning.

_To be continued…_

 


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for those of you who are reading this for the Malora feels. I promise, they will get together, eventually. But first, they have to work to that conclusion, and I am currently working on that part, a few chapters from this.**

_**Chapter 4** _

Maleficent growled at several points during Diaval's report: some nobleman was referring to her as the witch of the Moors, accusing her of manipulating Aurora, making demands for war against the Moors...it took a great deal of effort on her part to not fly to the castle and rip that nobleman apart. It was only because her beastie was clinging to her that she did not leave that instant. She held onto the frightened queen, trying her hardest to soothe the young girl.

"Mistress...there's more," Diaval said nervously. He avoided looking into her eyes.

"Go on," she snapped impatiently. Might as well get it all out in the open.

"The council is voting on an emergency regent to decide the course the kingdom will take."

Both Maleficent and Diaval cringed at Aurora's distressed moan. The faery knew this was all hard on the girl, and she wondered if it was too much for her to handle at once.

"Aurora?" She rubbed her beastie's arms in an attempt to remind her that her faery godmother was right there. "Aurora, come back, my beastie." She fought to keep her voice soft and soothing, but she had to keep her beastie from going down the same dark path she had two decades before.

"This is horrible," the queen squeaked. "They're taking advantage of my absence. This is why I stayed away from the Moors for so long. And if...I don't want another war, godmother!"

Maleficent pulled her closer. "Sh, beastie. We will get through this." Truthfully, she did not see how they were going to get through this mess, but she had to say something to calm the girl in her arms.

"Also mistress," Diaval continued, this time sounding more confident, which got Maleficent's attention. "The nobles are not happy about Aurora's refusal of marriage."

So the nobles were trying to pressure her beastie into marriage, were they? Maleficent squeezed Aurora, almost to the point of causing her beastie pain. Her upper lip curled up into a savage snarl.

"Godmother?" Aurora sounded frightened. She reached up and cupped the faery's sharp cheekbones in her palm.

"Is this true?" Maleficent's severe gaze bore into her beastie's deep ocean orbs, searching for the truth of the situation should Aurora feel the need to hide anything.

"Y—yes... They—the nobles want a king...and an heir. They say it is my duty as queen..."

"They WHAT?!" Maleficent shouted, furious at the way the humans were treating their queen like some brood mare when Aurora was so much more. It was unacceptable, and she was going to make them pay dearly for this transgression.

A chorus of "godmother" and "mistress" floated in her ears. One was a frightened squeal, and the other was reproachful. She looked at her companions and realized that she had lost control of her emotions. She stamped down her rage before apologizing in a hoarse voice.

"Godmother...I don't want to get married. Not to someone who will overshadow me and rule my life..."

"If you don't want to, no one can force you. I will not stand for anyone treating you as such." Maleficent leaned in to sniff her beastie's hair. That was precisely what she needed to calm her raging emotions.

"Thank you, godmother." Aurora seemed to be falling asleep. Maleficent was not surprised. Her beastie was dealing with far more than she ever had, and the faery was truly worried about what this would do to her beastie in the long run.

"Is there anything more?" She asked her servant and friend.

"Nothing more, mistress."

"Get some rest then."

"Turn me back to my beautiful self, first?"

She granted his request. Once he was perched in the tree she was leaned against, and her beastie was sleeping, she sorted through the information Diaval brought back. Things were getting far tenser than she thought it would ever get in Aurora's lifetime. She felt a pang of guilt at knowing the damage her beastie had gone through because of this, and there was little to nothing she could do to protect her. It made her feel as powerless as she did when she found she could not revoke her curse.

She was going to have to move quickly if she was going to protect both the Moors and her beastie should the worst come to pass. She had the distinct feeling in the form of a knot in her gut that the worst was exactly what was going to happen, and she was ill prepared for it.

She looked out at the expanse of the Moors and to the rising moon. She was worried about her beastie's future. She was worried about what would happen to the Moors. The peace between the two kingdoms had made the Moorish creatures lax, and now that might create their downfall.

Maleficent looked down at her beastie. She thought it strange how her entire life seemed to rotate with Aurora at the center. For twenty long years, she was firmly wrapped around her little beastie's finger, and for most of that time, she had gone about unaware of how the human affected her. She would do  _anything_  for her beastie.

"How could I love someone so much?" she mused under her breath. She was still uncertain what sort of love she felt for her beastie. True, it started as a sort of maternal bond, but it had since traversed into something beyond that over the years. It certainly wasn't romantic in nature. No, it went far above any one category.

"Godmother..." Aurora mumbled in her sleep.

Maleficent smiled warmly. She held Aurora closer and inhaled her scent. "Sleep well, beastie."

One thing that Maleficent was certain of was that she needed Aurora to regain her strength. She had no doubt that the queen's weakened state was due to the pain and shock caused from recent events. She recalled how it took her near a fortnight to even have the strength to walk, with a staff as support after her wings were stolen.

Maleficent did not sleep much that night. Her mind was too busy, buzzing with thoughts and emotions, all centered on her beastie.

Shortly after Diaval woke, she sent him back to the castle to learn what he could. He was more than happy to oblige.

It was mid-morning before Aurora woke. Much to Maleficent's surprise and joy, her queen was able to sit up on her own. She grimaced when Aurora tried to stretch, and she reopened a couple of her wounds.

"Take it easy, beastie," she said softly. She took some of the leftover salve from her pouch and rubbed it gently into Aurora's back.

"Godmother, where's Diaval?"

"I sent him back to the castle to gather information," she answered.

"But he was so tired when he came back yesterday," Aurora said worriedly. She turned back to Maleficent with wide eyes, and she was biting her bottom lip.

"I let him rest through the night, beastie," Maleficent murmured. She reached out and brought the girl against her. "Right now, we need information. I cannot allow you to return without knowing what is going on."

"I don't want to go back," Aurora declared firmly. "I never wanted the crown in the first place!"

"I know, beastie. But I think that is the reason you make such a good queen." Maleficent smiled fondly at the hurt and confused expression Aurora shot at her. "You never wanted that sort of power, like so many before you wanted. Your own...Stefan stole my wings in order to become king. He lusted for power, and look at what it got him. You have always been kind, to every living creature. You seek friendship above all else. Those traits allow you to rule with a kind heart. It is because of you that there is peace for the first time between the Moors and the human kingdom."

"But why does it have to be me, godmother? All I ever wanted was to live in the Moors with you."

"My sweet, gentle beastie...as soon as we get through this, I will be at your side for all of our days." She placed a lingering kiss on Aurora's forehead.

"Godmother, don't faeries outlive humans?" Aurora asked.

Maleficent's heart clenched. Her beastie was right. She would outlive her beastie by several centuries, if she lived out her own natural lifespan. Her wings twitched. "Hush, beastie. Do not trouble yourself with such things. I will be at your side, for as long as you allow it."

* * *

Aurora contemplated her godmother's words. She did not know quite how she felt about them. What did disturb her was the thought of growing into an old woman with her godmother hardly aging at all. She sighed inwardly. She had more pressing matters to focus on.

First and foremost was ensuring the human kingdom did not take up arms against her beloved Moors. She thought that perhaps she should send word to Phillip for help. He was the closest thing she had to a friend among the human nobility.

Over the years since she took her father's throne, Phillip had aided her in her transition. She often confided in him when she could not speak with her godmother. He made her smile. She even thought that over time, she could consider marrying him. He was the only one she had ever considered...

She shook the thought from her head. They were friends; it would be weird. And he did not make her heart flutter as it once had when they first met. There were none of the signs, according to her books of what it felt like to fall in love when she was around him.

"Beastie?"

Her godmother's voice jostled her from her thoughts. "Yes?" She forced a sweet smile.

"What are you so deep in thought about?"

"Um...well...I was thinking that perhaps we could ask Phillip to help." She looked up at her godmother with a hopeful gaze.

"Do you trust him?"

"Yes. He hasn't given me any reason not to. He's more kind than the other nobles."

"Hm... I recall that he helped you make the transition in taking over your kingdom."

Aurora nodded. She pulled away from her godmother, expectantly waiting for a reply.

"I will...consider it."

Aurora beamed before struggling to regain a more neutral expression, remembering some of her royal training. "To make things right, we will need allies."

"Spoken like a true queen," Maleficent said with an approving smile.

"Godmother...?" Aurora spoke after a long moment of silence between them.

"Hm?"

"May we walk through the Moors, like we used to?"

"Are you strong enough?"

"I—I'm feeling stronger. But I'm also so restless. I need to do something before I'm driven mad."

"Quite right, beastie," her godmother said, but Aurora sensed that there was a lot that was left unsaid.

She allowed for her godmother to help her to her feet. She swayed a bit every few steps, but the faery was always able to steady her. The effort left her more breathless than she would have liked, and her back was in pure agony within moments. She did not allow this to discourage her though.

* * *

Maleficent did not stay more than a single stride from her beastie as they walked, side by side as they used to through the Moors. Memories and old emotions surfaced for the faery of when her beastie was so innocent and full of life. She wished for nothing else than to see her beastie like that once again.

She was shocked by how her beastie insisted on continuing on, even though Maleficent could see quite clearly the agony that her beastie was in. She found that she admired the stubborn strength her beastie exhibited. Yes, she would make it through these dark and troubled times just fine, and Maleficent would see to it that it happened.

"Look, godmother, a stag," panted Aurora. She gripped Maleficent's arm tightly as she pointed at the majestic creature staring at them from a few yards away.

Maleficent's eyes softened. Even after everything they had both gone through together, her beastie still retained that same wonder for the world around her that had first drawn her in to the human. It was a humbling sight to witness, and she was glad for it.

She watched as Aurora marveled at the stag before it sauntered off toward the forest. She knew she shouldn't be, but after all these years, she was still surprised at how Aurora did not try to take anything out of greed. Of course, Maleficent had long since convinced herself that this girl was not like other humans; she had no greed that the faery ever saw.

Aurora swayed dangerously on her feet before Maleficent caught her and held her steady. "Beastie!"

"I'm fine, godmother..."

"Perhaps we should rest and eat," Maleficent suggested gently. She could clearly see how tired her beastie had become, even after a relatively short walk. Her wings bristled at how weak her beastie was.

Aurora nodded while Maleficent led her to the base of a nearby oak. They ate there while Aurora told Maleficent all about the past year living among the humans. The faery listened intently, filing much of the information for later.

Aurora told her about some of the rulings she made: how it was treason to speak ill of Maleficent, how she saved the death penalty for the most treacherous of crimes (even though she was hesitant to keep such a barbaric punishment, but saw the wisdom of removing would be assassins and murderers), how she brought back the spinning trade and adapted the iron workers to work with other metals that were not harmful to faeries, and all about how many nobles were reluctant to see her decrees carried out. She recounted how many princes from neighboring kingdoms came in hopes of courting her, including Phillip. Maleficent stiffened at those tales.

"Really, none of them could hold a simple conversation with me," Aurora said with a sour expression. "Phillip came the closest. Most of those princes tried to impress me with bragging about their prowess in battle and showering me with meaningless trinkets, and most were angry that I was unimpressed with them."

"They sound unworthy of your affections," Maleficent replied stiffly. Her lips curled into a sneer at the idea of all those princes' attempts to court her beastie. They were probably only after some gain other than Aurora's love, and it made her sick to think that her beastie's council were trying to push her into marrying one of those imbeciles.

Maleficent felt startled by her own thoughts. Was she jealous? Of those princes? No, she told herself firmly. She merely wanted her beastie to be happy, and deep down, she knew none of those princes could offer her that.

She wondered if she would find anyone worthy of courting her beastie. She had her doubts, for men were greedy and arrogant.

_To be continued…_

 


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry this is such a short chapter. This one was particularly difficult to write due to the words just not coming to me.**

_**Chapter 5** _

Diaval perched in the open window as he watched and listened to the meeting taking place below. He was intently paying attention to the nobles as they argued and shouted over who should take over in Aurora's absence. Really, he thought all of them unworthy of any sort of power beyond what they had already amassed, and even then, he felt that many of them did not deserve their position on the council. Human politics simply baffled him, and even that did not begin to cover his confusion concerning humans.

The proceedings had already gone on for two full days; they were on the third. These meetings were mostly dull, but Diaval could not return to his Mistress without a full report. He imagined that she was growing antsy, but there was nothing he could really do about that now.

"I propose we put it to a vote!"

"I second that!"

Diaval perked up. Finally, they were getting somewhere. He watched as they scribbled names onto parchment and dropped the names into a hat. As soon as that was done, all but two of the nobles got up to leave the chamber.

The raven went back to his preening while he waited for the vote to be counted. It was an hour before the rest of the council returned to hear the verdict.

"The votes have been counted. Our regent, until Queen Aurora is returned to us, is Lord Gregory."

Diaval did not wait to see what happened next. He had his name; now he had to give his report and hope his Mistress could devise a plan.

He flew as fast as his wings would carry him back to the Moors. The flight was long, longer than it had ever been, or so he thought.

As soon as he crossed over to the Moors, he began calling out to his Mistress as he searched out her usual haunts. He started with her bathing pool, then the Rowan, but did not find her or Aurora in either place. Worry began to gnaw at him the longer he searched without any sign of them.

He doubted any misfortune befell his Mistress and Aurora. If anything  _had_  happened, the Moors would be in an uproar, and everything relatively was quiet. He watched as some of the smaller faeries fluttered about their business.

"It is good to see Maleficent being so tender," squeaked one. "Our queen has brought joy back into her life."

Diaval cawed softly.

"I wonder what befell our queen," another said sadly.

"She looked tired," added the third.

"And Maleficent was helping her walk."

Diaval cocked his head to the side. He hopped on the branch he was perched on while clacking his beak.

"Oh, look, isn't that Maleficent's familiar?"

"You know, I rather think it is."

He cawed at them.

"Maleficent and Queen Aurora are walking through the field yonder," said the first faery.

Diaval cawed his thanks before flying toward the direction they pointed him in. He found his mistress and Aurora leaning against an oak near where the faeries pointed him to. He landed next to them.

"Hello, pretty bird," Aurora greeted him with a smile. She reached out to stroke his feathers.

" _Into a man_ ," Maleficent said in a clipped tone. She arched her brow as he bowed. "Well? You have been gone for three days."

"Mistress—Aurora—the council chose Gregory to be regent." He cringed at Aurora's sudden distressful howl. In that moment, he wished his report was false, for his hatchling's sake.

"Diaval…leave us," Maleficent commanded. Her voice was thick with something akin to suffering. She changed him back into a raven, and he flew away, knowing his Mistress's wish to be alone with Aurora.

* * *

"Oh god! This can't be happening! Gregory will try and destroy the Moors!" Aurora's mind was reeling with Diaval's report. The news left her stunned, but then full on panic set in, and she struggled with her godmother to get away.

"Let me go!"

"Aurora, calm down!" her godmother demanded in a tone that was not to be argued with.

"Let go!"

"You need to calm down! I won't let anyone take the Moors!"

Aurora stopped fighting her godmother. She looked up into fiery green eyes that failed to contain the faery's fury and pain. "Oh, godmother…"

"You need to keep a level head, beastie. If you act rashly, you might run straight into a trap…or worse… Who is this Gregory? What has he done to make you in such a fright?"

The young queen looked away from her godmother's scrutinizing gaze. She could not help but feel that the faery could see right into her soul through that unwavering gaze she possessed. Even when her godmother firmly pulled her chin up to look at her, she could not look directly into her godmother's eyes.

"Aurora…"

She cringed before braving the faery's eyes. "Godmother, he's William's father…"

"The man who…" She felt her godmother's hands along her back, and she flinched away from the pain that contact brought her. She could tell the reaction brought pain to her godmother by the alarm and pain in the way her face quickly emoted and her wings twitched.

"Yes…"

"We will deal with him, Aurora."

Aurora wanted to believe her godmother, but she could not purge the sickening knot she felt in the pit of her stomach. She whimpered and sunk into the faery's lap. She worried at her godmother's robes, pulling and twisting the fabric in her hands. She flinched when she felt long fingers running through her hair, but relaxed when she felt her godmother's soft humming. Soon, she was drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Maleficent screamed on the inside as her beastie flinched away from her gentle touches. Her beastie was not supposed to do that; she wasn't supposed to feel fear, not when Maleficent was there to protect her. She knew that these reactions weren't Aurora's fault. It was all because some idiot noble decided to brutally flog her for her refusal to get married.

She remembered a time when she allowed no physical contact herself. Truly, she was impressed that her beastie allowed physical contact at all, and sometimes even sought it out after what transpired. Maleficent was more than happy to oblige. She would do  _anything_  to make her beastie happy.

"We are quite the pair," she murmured, looking down at her beastie's sleeping face.

She draped a wing over them and fell into a light sleep.

_To be continued…_

 


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm not sure if I got the correct use for rose hip. I did some research into it, but I'm not sure if I would trust the sources I found. If my formal education has taught me anything, it is to always question the source.**

_**Chapter 6** _

Over the following days, Aurora's strength began to return to her, bit by bit. She was able to walk more and more without Maleficent's assistance. She still did not stray too far from her godmother or Diaval, who sometimes watched over her while Maleficent attended to her duties to the Moors. She slowly began interacting with the Moor folk under the watchful eyes of Maleficent or Diaval, although her godmother had forbade her from playing any games that required strenuous activity, even though her wounds had closed, and all that remained were pink scars down her back. When she was not with the other faeries, she wandered through the Moors with either Maleficent or Diaval.

"Godmother, what flower is this?" Aurora asked during one such walk. She pointed out a flower with large pink pedals and the stamen sticking out.

"That, beastie, is a rose hip."

"It's beautiful!" Aurora beamed as she knelt down and sniffed the flower, but she did not pick it.

"It is also a very useful plant," her godmother continued softly. "It can be used to help fevers break when ingested as a tea."

Aurora smiled as her godmother explained the flower to her. Moments like these reminded her of her carefree youth when she didn't have the fate of two kingdoms constantly at the forefront of her thoughts. Before her sixteenth birthday, she shared many moments such as this one with her godmother. Remembering them brought both joy and a pang of guilt. No matter how much she wanted to, she could not return to that youthful innocence she once held for the world.

She giggled when a group of fair folk flitted past her. They looked brilliant in the high noon sun as they went about their business in keeping the Moors alive. She did not quite understand the full extent of what each of the inhabitants of the Moors did for the land, but the way Maleficent explained it to her, they made the beauty she saw possible.

"Aurora?"

"Huh? Oh, coming!"

She did not realize it, but her godmother had gone a few paces ahead of her when she wasn't paying attention. She scrambled to catch up and caught her godmother chuckling when she did.

"What?" she asked, trying to sound indignant.

"Nothing, beastie," her godmother replied with barely contained humor.

Aurora grinned. She rarely saw her godmother in such a light, and it always brought her happiness when she witnessed her godmother like this. She had heard stories some of the fair people tell her of her godmother's more carefree youth over the years during her many visits to the Moors. An old faery named Robin was particularly fond of telling her about how he and her godmother would go about the Moors to play pranks on unsuspecting fae. These tales always brought Aurora to a fit of giggles, and they also made her silently promise to make her godmother return to the way she was before Stefan betrayed her.

"What are you thinking about now, beastie?"

"Huh? Oh...uh...nothing, godmother."

"You cannot lie to me, beastie," her godmother replied in a vaguely affronted tone.

Aurora looked up to see olive eyes alight with something akin to delight. The expression on her godmother's face made her heart leap with excitement. "I was just remembering the walks we used to take through the Moors when I lived with my aunts."

Her godmother opened her mouth to respond, but she closed it before she said anything. Her eyes narrowed with annoyance, and she turned to stare at the distance behind Aurora.

"Godmother? What is it?"

"Maleficent! Maleficent!"

Aurora turned at the sound of Knotgrass's shrill voice, which answered her question. Her smile faded when she noted the expression on her "aunt's" face. Knotgrass's eyebrows were more furrowed than she had ever seen them. Her grey-blue eyes were large with worry. The pixie was looking around frantically for Aurora's godmother until she spotted the willowy faery standing like a statue next to Aurora. Her pink floral hat was askew, and she didn't seem to care all that much. Aurora also noted the absence of Thistlewit and Flittle. She stepped closer to her godmother, suddenly fearful of whatever it was that her "aunt" felt so desperate to speak to Maleficent about.

"Yes? What is it?" her godmother asked, sounding impatient.

"The humans—they demand we hand Aurora over immediately! They're charging her with treason!" Knotgrass squeaked frantically.

Aurora felt a sudden wave of dizziness hit her. She did not know how, but she ended up lying in her godmother's lap. She stared up at the worried faces of Maleficent and Knotgrass with an uncomprehending gaze of her own.

"Aurora?" Knotgrass shrieked.

"Beastie!"

"Treason? But why?" Aurora trembled. She bit her bottom lip worriedly. She felt as though her entire world was crumbling in around her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She could not believe this was happening. She could not remember ever doing  _anything_  that would result in charges of treason. Her rule was fair and just from the start. She had even taken up a personal crusade to helping the less fortunate through reforms to the laws that existed before her reign started.

"I don't know," her godmother answered softly. "But we'll figure this out." She looked up at Aurora's "aunt," and said in a serious tone, "Knotgrass, I need you to find Diaval and tell him to meet me at the Rowan."

Aurora barely noticed Knotgrass leaving. She kept trying to think of something that would make a charge of treason against her make any sense, but she found none, no matter what angle she approached it from.

* * *

Maleficent held Aurora close, forgoing words as she rubbed circles over her beastie's scarred back. Her heart was shattering as her beastie made distressed sounds, and she knew that there was nothing she could actually do to comfort her. She was in a frightening state herself. Her mind was numb with shock. Thoughts came much slower than usual, and the few thoughts she did have were of how hopeless the situation had become. She had hoped that since she rescued Aurora from the castle, it would be as simple as giving the beastie time to recover, and then they could put it all behind them. She cursed Aurora's fate. Hadn't the girl gone through enough? Surely the universe was not that cruel. In that moment, she wished she could trade places with her beastie. She was more capable of handling such hardships; she was more callous than her beastie. Callousness just simply was not in Aurora's nature, like it was in hers. It made it possible for her to survive after Stefan betrayed her, but she could not allow Aurora to go down that same path.

"Godmother, I don't want to die!" Aurora wailed. The shrillness of her voice made Maleficent cringe, but she said nothing about it.

"Hush, Aurora," Maleficent said seriously. "You are not going to die. I won't let anyone lay a finger on you." She nearly growled at the thought of anyone hurting Aurora any further, and she pulled her beastie closer for good measure.

She felt Aurora's grip around her waist tighten. She cocooned them with her wings and planted a firm kiss on the queen's brow as she trembled. She was frightened of losing her beastie. If she met the humans' demands, she was afraid that she was signing away Aurora's life, and she simply could not do that. But if she didn't, she would be sacrificing the Moors. Tears fell from her eyes as the reality of her predicament sunk in. Aurora would not sacrifice the Moors, even to save her own life. And the Moors would be hard pressed to give up their queen, even at the cost of thousands of souls. Maleficent was sworn to protect both, and the impossibility of the decision she was faced with ate away at her heart.

"G…godmother?" Aurora squeaked.

"Hush, Aurora," Maleficent murmured, her voice cracking with sadness and regret.

"I've got to go… It's the only way…"

Maleficent stiffened. She looked down at Aurora with a grimace. "You don't have to do any such thing. I can keep you safe, here in the Moors." Her voice rumbled with intensity, and she got a sudden flashback to how she felt when she found out why Stefan stole her wings, and the bolt of energy she sent forth as a result. She maintained enough control this time to prevent another incident like that one. Using magic like that was a waste of precious energy that could be spent in other, more productive ways, and it might frighten Aurora more than she already was.

She blinked when Aurora's hand came up to cup her cheek. She leaned in to the gentle touch and sighed. Her body trembled from all the emotions coursing through her that she couldn't show, even if she wanted to.

"I can't allow anyone to sacrifice themselves for my sake, godmother. I couldn't live with myself if anyone died on my behalf…"

Aurora leaned against the faery. She went limp, and Maleficent lifted the human into her strong arms.

"I can't lose you, beastie," she confessed, her voice heavy. She hid her tears against Aurora's shoulder. "I can't live without your smile…"

She felt slender hands slip around her neck. When she pulled back slightly, she was stunned that there were lips pressed against her own. Soft lips. Sweet lips. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss without really thinking on it. It was tender and fierce all at once. She could feel the love on those succulent lips. She pulled back to look into darkened aqua orbs and pressed her forehead against Aurora's. "Beastie…" Her voice was husky. That was something she had never experienced before, even with...no, she refused to think about _that_.

"It's fine, godmother. I love you, and I know you love me too, even if you won't say it."

Maleficent felt a beast clawing at her mind, demanding that she give in to her baser needs. She stamped it down. Now was not the right time. Of course, now might be the only time. And the kiss might have been innocent, with nothing else intended in it. Humans were like that; it was something she had to accept, or be driven mad with their behaviors she simply would never fully understand.

"Godmother?" Aurora squeaked, sounding frightened.

"We need to meet Diaval to figure out our next step," Maleficent forced out. She spread her wings and flew back to her Rowan.

Her powerful wings beat against the air as she flew closer and closer to her home. Her strong arms held Aurora close. During the flight, her beastie fell asleep, much to Maleficent's gratitude. She did not want the queen to be awake during her conversation with Diaval.

When she landed in her tree, she was surprised to see not only Diaval, but Thistlewit, Knotgrass, and Flittle waiting for her. She frowned at the three pixies, already annoyed at their presence. She gently set Aurora in her bed before turning to address them.

" _Into a bird_."

"Mistress—whatarewegoingtodo?" Diaval asked in a rush, his words slurring together. He was looking at Aurora. His obsidian eyes were wider than Maleficent ever remembered seeing them.

" _I'm_  going to protect her," she replied fiercely. "I need you to return to the castle. Find out why the beastie is being accused of treason. Do not fail me, Diaval."

"I won't, Mistress…" He bobbed into a bow before she turned him back into a raven, and he flew off once more to the human kingdom.

"What about us?" Knotgrass asked, worrying her bottom lip.

Maleficent glared at the pixies, annoyed that they were still present. They were useless in a fight. And they could never seem to keep the beastie out of danger. As Maleficent remembered those sixteen years that Aurora was in the pixies' care, she was always the one to rescue the beastie, and the pixie trio were none the wiser. So she doubted that she could entrust Aurora's safety to them. Then an idea sparked.

"Inform Balthazar of what has happened. Then I want you three to evacuate all non-combative faeries deeper into the Moors." Maleficent kept her voice very stern; it was the only way to get this trio to understand. Her lips curved into a small smile as they set off to complete her tasks.

It was not until they were gone that she returned her focus to Aurora.  _'And what to do about you? I imagine your regent will want to start another war if I try and keep you here…'_ That thought unsettled the faery. Still, she was willing to do whatever it took to keep her beastie safe, no matter the cost.

"Hn? Godmother?" Aurora mumbled blearily as she opened her eyes. She yawned, and Maleficent settled next to her, so that her beastie could cuddle her, if that was what she wished, which apparently was the case. "Where's Diaval?"

Maleficent draped an arm around Aurora's waist. It was a casual gesture, or at least she thought nothing of it. She blinked down at her beastie when she felt a pair of slim arms wrap around her middle. "Hm? I sent him to scout your kingdom."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Aurora asked in an alarmed squeak.

"Sh, it's alright, beastie. Diaval knows what he's doing. I sent him to find out why that troublesome regent made those ridiculous accusations against you."

Aurora frowned and scooted even closer to Maleficent, which the faery thought was impossible until she did it. The young queen shuddered before Maleficent draped a wing around her protectively.

"Do try and sleep, beastie."

Aurora yawned, which ended in a squeak. Maleficent chuckled softly at that, finding it both amusing and adorable. In a matter of moments, her beastie was once again in her dreamland.

With Aurora sleeping soundly, Maleficent's mind wandered back to the kiss from earlier. Those thoughts were certainly more pleasant than anything else she had thought about recently. She wondered if Aurora had meant anything by it, or if it was something innocent. She shook the thought away.

What really held her attention was her own reaction. She could still feel her primal nature clawing at her mind, demanding to be released. Did she love the beastie in a way that was more than the maternal bond she had been keeping it at for so long? Sure, she thought the beastie was beautiful, caring, and innocence personified. But desire for the human queen? She could not deny to herself that there was  _something_  there, though she was uncertain what it was at this point.

_'When this is finished, and if we both survive, I will give more thought to this.'_

She nuzzled Aurora's hair and inhaled the girl's scent. The queen smelled of the earthy Moors, and that was a huge comfort to the faery as she slowly dozed off with  _her_  beastie in her arms.

_To be continued…_

 


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: This chapter was a challenge to write, as I struggled to convey the depth of emotion and motivation for both Maleficent and Aurora. Also, this chapter was a b*** to edit.**

_**Chapter 7** _

Aurora let out a long sigh. She was leaned up against her faery godmother, as she so often did since returning to the Moors. They were watching the wallerbogs throwing mud at one another. She found the sight amusing, but she was saddened that her godmother still forbade her from joining in. It was true that her back still pained her from time to time, though she now had long pink scars that replaced what was left of the scabs and would forever serve as a reminder of that incident, and the pain it brought. The bruise on her cheek had long since healed.

"What is it, beastie?" the faery asked as she cracked open a nut with her rear teeth.

"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking how fun that looks," Aurora replied forlornly.

"Beastie, not until you are completely healed," her godmother said seriously. "You don't want to strain yourself too much. If you do, then I'll have to continue carrying you everywhere." She flashed a half-smile.

Aurora blushed at the thought. She relished in those tender moments she was getting to share with her godmother. Those memories were precious to her in a way she dared not voice, lest she lose further moments with her godmother. She did not bother arguing the fact that she felt perfectly fine. Instead, she shifted closer to her faery's warmth.

"Autumn is approaching," her godmother commented.

"It is," Aurora agreed. She took the offered berry from her godmother's fingers. "Godmother, I think it is best if I return to my kingdom, at least to take care of those false charges." As soon as she spoke those words, she wished she hadn't. Her godmother's arms wrapped possessively around her and squeezed until it hurt.

"What if it's a trap?"

"Godmother, he's going to starve my kingdom! I can't allow that." The latest news from Diaval was that Lord Gregory had raised the taxation on crops and livestock to the point many farmers would starve in the coming winter. Rent prices were also on the rise. "He's starving them so he can raise an army against the Moors. While I know the Moors don't really need a queen, I can't allow him to destroy these lands."

"Beastie…"

"If I had just agreed to marry, none of this would have happened!" Aurora groaned, frustrated with everything about the predicament she found herself in since the night William decided to take the matter of her refusal to marry into his own hands. It was that night that her life began to crumble around her, and she felt largely powerless to stop it. The one thing that she could do was to meet the charges placed against her head-on. At least by doing that, she had a choice and self-determination, which were things she did not seem to get as queen. Every day of her reign, she had to seek her counsels' advice on matters of state. She understood the reasoning behind it, but it still slowed her down on matters dealing with keeping the peace with the Moors. She was more free living as a peasant than she was as queen, and it was aggravating.

"Aurora!" Maleficent snapped, and the queen looked up into swirling golden-green eyes, and she knew the faery was bordering on going into a frenzy. "I will not tolerate you blaming yourself for the actions of others."

"But godmother!" At the stern look in Maleficent's eyes, she stopped. Her cheeks reddened with shame, and she looked down. She  _had_  to make her godmother understand what she was trying to accomplish. She also felt an irrational need to prove herself to her godmother. She wanted to be seen as a strong queen, and to be otherwise meant that her godmother might somehow be disappointed in her.

She heard her godmother inhale deeply. Her breath caught in her throat. "While I find your plan foolhardy and beyond dangerous, I can see no other way around it. Which is why I will accompany you."

"Godmother!" Aurora felt hot tears brim in her eyes. She blinked them away and turned to bury her face into the crook of Maleficent's neck. She did not know why her godmother had a sudden change of heart, but she was not going to question it. If she did, that might lead to further arguing between them, and she was tired of arguing on the subject.

They remained enveloped in the other's arms for the remainder of that day, whispering words of comfort and solace. Aurora fell into an exhausted sleep at dusk with Maleficent's wing acting as a blanket from the cool night breeze blowing through the Moors that night.

_She ran and ran through the darkened corridors of her castle. Her bare feet slapped against the cold stone floor, and with each slap, an echo reverberated against the suffocating walls. She had to get away. There was nothing else but that desire to escape._

_Off in the distance, she saw the shadowed silhouette of a horned figure. She knew who that shadow belonged to..._

_"Godmother!" she cried desperately. She reached her hand outward, but only touched air. She tried harder with the same result._

_The shadowed silhouette appeared to go farther away, making Aurora run harder. She had to get to her godmother, she just had to._

_"GODMOTHER!"_

_The scenery dissolved around her, and she felt as though she was choking on the nothingness enveloping her. Just as soon as everything disappeared, she found herself in her throne room. The chamber was filled with people, from the highest noble to the poorest peasant. Sitting on her throne was someone she both recognized and came to loath over the last few weeks, Lord Gregory. Standing next to him was another man, but she could not see his face, only his tall shadowed frame. In the middle of the assembly was her godmother, in iron chains._

_"Witch of the Moors," Lord Gregory said, his voice booming._

_Aurora watched helplessly as her godmother glared up at Lord Gregory. She could feel the seething emotions coming off the faery in waves. The air in the chamber was tense, and she held her breath, knowing that there was no good outcome._

_"You are charged with the death of my son, as well as the murder of our queen."_

_"No! She didn't do it! I'm still alive!" she cried, but no one heard her. In fact, it seemed that no one saw her. "Godmother! Godmother, please!"_

_"What say you in your defense?"_

_Maleficent bowed her head in defeat. Her shoulders slumped forward in shame and defeat. She did not say a single word._

_"Godmother…" Aurora wept weakly. "Please, you've got to get away…"_

_"I hereby declare that you will be put to the block for your crimes, witch!"_

_"NO!"_

* * *

Maleficent woke in the middle of that night to her beastie thrashing and moaning. She looked down, alarmed at the way her beastie's face was contorted with her eyebrows furrowed and frowning.

"Godmother! GODMOTHER!"

"Aurora! Aurora, wake up!" Maleficent tried shaking her beastie's shoulder in an attempt to wake her up. It seemed to work at first, but as soon as she was confident her beastie was waking, she fell deeper into the nightmare.

"Godmother! Godmother, please!"

"Aurora!"

"Godmother…" Her beastie started crying. "Please, you've got to get away…"

"I'm right here, Aurora!"

"NO!"

Maleficent had to hold her beastie down to prevent her from flailing out of the tree. She winced as Aurora's fists struck her stomach and sides, but she did not falter in holding her young queen down.

"Please, Aurora! Come back to me…" she pleaded. Hot tears stung her eyes, but she refused to allow them to fall; she blinked them away. Crying now would not do anything to help Aurora.

She did the only other thing she could think of to get Aurora to wake up; she leaned down to kiss her beastie on the lips, just as they had done three days before, after they learned of the accusation of treason against Aurora. It was gentle and loving and so full of the depth of devotion she felt for her beastie. She cupped Aurora's cheek tenderly before she pulled back.

"Ah!" Aurora gasped as she bolted up and opened her eyes. Her head swiveled around; it was obvious that she was frightened. She was gasping for air and completely oblivious to her surroundings; it was as though she were somewhere else entirely. That terrified Maleficent in ways that words could not describe.

She backed away as soon as her beastie woke. She watched and waited with the stillness of a gargoyle statue while the human struggled for air.

"Beastie…breathe. It's alright." She reached out, but did not touch the girl for fear of the reaction she might receive for an unwanted touch. A well of tears brimmed in her eyes again as she waited for her queen to regain awareness for her surroundings.

This was Aurora's third nightmare since they found out about the accusations of treason placed against her. Each night, Maleficent woke to slaps and Aurora thrashing in their shared bed. And every night, Maleficent struggled to wake her beastie until she resorted to a kiss on the lips.

"Oh, god…" Aurora sobbed. She hid her face in her hands and trembled from the after effects of the nightmare. Her breaths were shaky.

"Beastie…" Maleficent murmured helplessly. She knew exactly what Aurora was going through; she went through it herself when she was about the same age…when her wings were stolen. What she did not know was how to comfort her beastie, and that left her feeling like she had somehow failed. She was supposed to be able to drive away all fear from Aurora's life. She was supposed to  _be there_  for the little beast.

"Godmother!"

Maleficent braced herself as Aurora practically tackled her. Under any other circumstance, she would have smiled at something like this. Now, she just felt hallow. She held her beastie close to her trembling body, and her wings draped around them in a safe cocoon, shielding them from the rest of the world.

"Oh, beastie… Sh, it's going to be alright. I'm here," Maleficent murmured soothingly, her voice catching at the end of each word.

"I—I can't lose you, godmother!" Aurora whimpered.

Maleficent stiffened. So that was what this particular nightmare was about? The first one had been Aurora dying. That night had been particularly hard on Maleficent, but she still managed to comfort Aurora back to sleep after a couple hours of the beastie's frightful sobs. The second one was the Moors burning. That one left both of them in a mess, and they spent that entire day holed up in the Rowan while Diaval performed Maleficent's daily patrol at the border and gathered food for them, which they did not eat much of.

"You're not going to lose me, Aurora," she said softly, but with a firm undertone. She rubbed circles along Aurora's back. Honestly, she would much rather give up her own life than watch Aurora perish or the Moors burn. She needed both of them to survive; they gave her purpose. But she also considered, with dread, what Aurora would be like if she died. If a nightmare had this effect on her beastie, she shuddered to think what would happen if she died. She swore to herself that would only happen if she was protecting Aurora.

Aurora hiccupped. "I'm sorry I woke you…" She sniffled and wiped the snot leaking out her nose.

Maleficent blinked. Her beastie was sorry for waking her?  _'Ridiculous,'_  she scoffed mentally.

"Aurora…" she said, her voice heavy. She took a moment to gather her thoughts while her beastie peered up at her. She ran her thumbs across Aurora's tearstained cheeks while she struggled to not falter in her next words. "Do not apologize for waking me. You had a nightmare. Those things are out of your control. You're scared, so it is only natural."

"But you haven't slept in three nights," Aurora whimpered.

Maleficent smiled sadly. "Oh, beastie…" She wrapped her arms once more around Aurora, and her grip around her queen tightened protectively, as though if she held her close enough, the nightmares could be chased away. She knew that wasn't how it worked, but that did not stop her from hoping. She was also in awe at how after everything Aurora had gone through recently, she still found it within herself to be more concerned with Maleficent's wellbeing than her own. "I can survive off very little sleep." She was lying, of course, and she felt tainted for doing so, but it was all to protect her beastie. She could not allow for Aurora to be concerned for her when the human's own welfare was in question.

"In the nightmare—you—you were—Lord Gregory accused you of—of  _killing_  me!"

Maleficent frowned as she gently pulled Aurora away so that she could look into her eyes. The hurt in her beastie's eyes devastated her.

* * *

Aurora tried desperately to hold back her tears as she looked into her godmother's eyes. She did not want to appear weak; she was coming to despise the feeling within her. She was tired of the night terrors, and she hated that she was keeping her guardian up all the time with them. She was frustrated with Maleficent's near calmness every time she had one of her bad dreams. That was all they were, she kept telling herself, but no matter how many times she tried to convince herself of that, she could not shake the ill feeling in her gut whenever she thought of the accusations of treason against her, or her impending return to the castle.

"I would never hurt you, beastie."

She nearly crumbled at the hurt in Maleficent's voice. She leaned against the faery's soft breast and let out a shuttering sigh. "I know, godmother," she said softly in an attempt to keep her voice from wavering. "It was just a bad dream…"

"Yes…"

"Tomorrow," Aurora said. She released a shuddering breath as she pulled away to look up at Maleficent's quizzical gaze. "I want to face Lord Gregory tomorrow. I am tired of not sleeping because of his false accusations."

"If that is what you wish, beastie," her godmother sighed. Her wings drooped, and she slouched in defeat.

"Thank you, godmother…"

"I will be at your side. You won't be alone."

Aurora took comfort in knowing that her godmother would be with her through to whatever end met them. She whimpered as she curled around her faery. She was worried about the consequences of meeting Lord Gregory's demands, but she could not allow herself to be viewed as a weak queen, a queen without conviction. She was going to go in and hold her head high, just as her godmother taught her so early in her reign. And somehow, she knew that with Maleficent at her side, everything would be all right in the end. With those thoughts, she was able to fall back asleep.

* * *

Maleficent hummed a soft lullaby while her beastie slept. All the while, unsettling thoughts further disturbed her. She had went through such lengths to keep Aurora safely hidden in the Moors, and now the beastie was insisting on going into the mouth of the monster. That left her with one option; to go with her queen. She knew that whenever Aurora set her mind to something, there was no real way to talk her out of it. That was one of the traits Maleficent admired about her, but now it was becoming troublesome. She knew that this brash move could get her beastie killed, and she simply could not allow that to happen, not without a fight.

She looked up when she heard a soft "caw" coming from the top branches of her Rowan. Diaval had returned. " _Into a man_ ," she sighed halfheartedly. She flicked golden magic at the raven.

"Mistress!" Diaval said breathlessly as he straightened himself. He bowed respectively at the harsh look she threw at him.

"What news, Diaval?" she demanded in a near whisper, not wanting to disturb Aurora after she had just gotten the beastie back to sleep.

"It seems Gregory is starting to conscript men into his army," he informed solemnly. "He's hell-bent on taking the Moors for himself."

"Is he now?" Maleficent tried to sound uninterested in this fact. It was something she had many years of practice doing, but deep down, she feared the outcome of such determination. It was true that no human ruler had managed to annex the Moors outright, but the possibility was never far from the protector's mind.

"Every hour, more nobles are joining his cause," Diaval continued. He was fidgeting with his hands and barely looking at Maleficent.

"Hmph!" Maleficent huffed. "What of the boy? Did you deliver my message to him?"

"I did, Mistress."

"And?"

"He said that he would do what he could to help."

Maleficent let out a long sigh of relief as she leaned her head back to prop her horns against the tree's trunk. She closed her eyes for a moment, filing the information away before bidding Diaval go and rest.

"Mistress?"

"Aurora intends on returning to the human kingdom tomorrow," Maleficent growled.

"Is that wise?" Diaval asked worriedly. His eyes flickered between Aurora and Maleficent.

"I advised her against it every time she's brought it up in the past three days," the faery huffed. "She is a stubborn little beast, and this situation must be dealt with."

"Yes, but there must be another way!"

Maleficent shot him a dangerous look for being so loud. She shushed Aurora back to sleep when she stirred. She flicked her wrist at him and turned him into a mouse.

He squeaked angrily at her as he scurried away from her wrath.

_To be continued…_

 


	9. Chapter 8

** **Chapter 8** **

Maleficent woke with the rising sun feeling not well rested, and that in of itself was an understatement. She woke each time Aurora would squirm or start, afraid her beastie was plagued with yet another nightmare. After a couple tense moments, Aurora stilled, leaving Maleficent to fall back into an uneasy sleep.

"Beastie," Maleficent murmured softly. She stroked the sleeping beauty's arm gently.

"Mrmph. Huh?" Aurora opened her eyes. She blinked owlishly and winced at the brightness of the sun that was already making its ascent through the sky.

"It's time to wake up, you little beast." The faery forced a strenuous smile.

"Godmother, did you even sleep?"

"I got plenty of rest," she lied. She pressed her lips firmly against Aurora's forehead, and was shocked at the hand that snaked its way up toward the base of her wings. They spread to near their full glory at the touch, and she shivered. "Beastie?" Her eyebrows furrowed as she searched Aurora's face for anything to give the beastie's intentions away.

"I need to go...back to the human kingdom," Aurora said in barely more than a whisper.

"Must you?" Maleficent asked in one last effort to prevent Aurora from going, trying to keep her voice free of disappointment. She was also trying to take advantage of the uncertainty she heard in her beastie's voice. She felt vaguely guilty for it, but she had an ill feeling about allowing Aurora to return to the humans after the way one of them treated her. The memory was one that still plagued her with unpleasant dreams. She rested her forehead against Aurora's, and she found that she was not quite sure  _why_  she did it. Perhaps it was to steady her foreboding thoughts. She stretched her wing muscles as slender fingers gently ran through her feathers.

"No!" Maleficent practically shrieked. She yanked away and came close to hyperventilating as memories of waking one morning without her wings surfaced in a most painful way.

"Godmother?" Aurora whimpered, looking hurt. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" Tears sprang to her eyes.

Maleficent turned away quickly to avoid looking at her beastie. She glared down at the black mouse glowering up at her. She was seething, and sparks of green magic flowed freely from her clenched hands.

"Godmother, please! Say something!" Aurora was sobbing.

The faery bit back her irrational fear. She  _knew_  that Aurora could never intentionally harm her; it simply wasn't in the girl's nature. Still, she could not just shake the petrifying fear that gripped her so suddenly. She took several deep, calming breaths in an attempt to center herself.

"Aurora...I'm sorry..." She refused to look up at her beastie, fearing the hurt she knew she would see. She drew her wings in close.

"It's alright, godmother," Aurora said softly. "I didn't mean to upset you..."

Maleficent looked up. She felt a hard lump lodge its way into her throat, and she swallowed it down. "No, Aurora...it is I who should be sorry..." She closed the distance between them and held her beastie close to her. "Forgive me?" She looked down, pleading with her eyes.

"You're forgiven!" Aurora said immediately, smiling.

The faery felt her heart lighten at the smile, which she had always treasured. She cupped her beastie's cheeks between her hands and brushed her queen's unruly hair out of her face. A small, sad smile graced her lips. She was constantly amazed at how easily Aurora had always forgiven her for her transgressions; it seemed almost unfair. She had cursed Aurora as an infant and killed her father, after all, and though Aurora had long since claimed to have forgiven her for those terrible crimes, she would never completely wash the stain those actions left on her soul. She felt almost tainted for coveting the time she spent with her beastie...

"Godmother...I really must be going back to the castle," Aurora said sadly.

"Well then, we will need a horse," the faery replied, looking down at the mouse. She stepped away from Aurora to take the creature into her hands. She extended her wings and floated down from the tree, landing gracefully before putting the mouse down.

" _Into a horse_."

The mouse squeaked as her magic hit him, and he turned into a black horse. He pawed at the ground and snorted.

"Oh, don't give me that!" Maleficent quipped harshly. She shot a disapproving look at Diaval that conveyed her tense mood before turning back to Aurora and helping her down from the tree. She lifted her queen easily onto Diaval's back before settling behind her.

She was a little surprised at how Aurora leaned against her as they rode Diaval toward the human kingdom in silence. She wrapped her arms around her beastie, telling herself that it was to keep Aurora from falling off.

"You're sure about this, beastie?" Maleficent inquired seriously as they reached the border between the kingdoms. She glanced down at Aurora, searching for any sign of doubt or fear.

"I am," Aurora responded firmly. She rested her head against the faery's shoulder and closed her eyes.

* * *

Aurora prayed to any deity who would listen that she wasn't making a huge mistake. If she was wrong, then more than just her life was at stake, and she could not allow anyone else to get hurt on her behalf, especially her godmother.

She listened to her godmother's heartbeat. The steady th-thump th-thump th-thump lulled her into a near sleep like state. She was still aware of her surroundings, and how her body shifted with Diaval's movements. Her hands reached for Maleficent's, and she gave her godmother a gentle squeeze, which was returned almost immediately.

"I'm right here, beastie," her godmother whispered in her ear.

Aurora scooted closer to the faery in response. She blushed as she felt soft lips against her temple, and she felt a foreign feeling in the pit of her stomach. She stiffened at it.

"What's wrong, beastie?" Her godmother sounded worried, and that made the feeling intensify.

"I—I'm not sure," she admitted. "I feel—strange." She squirmed, trying desperately to alleviate the foreign feeling.

Diaval snorted and threw his head a couple times.

"Stop laughing, Diaval," Maleficent snapped.

"Godmother?"

"Aurora, you are probably just nervous about returning to your castle," the faery said, soothingly stroking her hair. "We could turn back if you'd rather remain safely in the Moors."

Aurora shook her head. "I can't do that."

"If that is what you wish," Maleficent sighed heavily.

* * *

She knew precisely what was making her queen so uncomfortable, of course. She could smell the arousal on her beastie. The air was thick with that sweet scent. It drove the monster welling up inside her mad, especially with the way her beastie was squirming against her.

' _No!_ ' she screamed internally, willing herself to remain in control. ' _She is too young! Too innocent! I helped raise her!_ '

' _She's an adult by human standards_ ,' her own mind taunted her.

' _No; it would be wrong_ …'

The warring inside her lasted for a long duration of the ride. Aurora had dozed off as they passed the outlying farms, and Maleficent was thankful for this. It gave her time to stamp down on her impure thoughts that were driving her positively mad with something she did not understand. She certainly did not need to be thinking such things, especially at a time like this. She was doubly glad that Diaval could not speak, although she could tell that he was snickering at her from the way he snorted and whinnied.

"Diaval, hush! You'll wake the beastie!" she hissed. She kicked him in the sides for good measure. That got him to fall silent.

The remainder of the trek back to Aurora's castle was filled with tense silence as Maleficent considered what she was going to do to her beastie's council for the poor way they treated her. She could place a curse on each of them, but she had the distinct impression that Aurora would beg her not to, and she could not deny her beastie anything. She could kill them outright, but again, Aurora would not like that at all. She could frighten them to the point that they would never dare go up against her beastie ever again. Now that was something her beastie would likely allow. She contemplated how she was going to go about pulling that off.

She doubted that the humans had forgotten their fear toward her. Not enough years had passed for them to forget how she had cursed their queen and waged a sixteen year long war against Aurora's father after killing the girl's grandfather. Granted, the incident with King Henry was simply defending her home, but the humans did not see it that way.

She put her thoughts aside as Aurora stirred. She looked down with her unwavering gaze as her beastie woke.

"Godmother, are we there yet?" Aurora asked through a stifled yawn. She rubbed sleep out of her eyes, and Maleficent found the display oddly cute.

"Not yet, beastie," she answered softly.

"Godmother—I—"

"Yes, beastie?" Maleficent tried to keep any impatience out of her voice. She gazed into her beastie's eyes.

"Whatever happens—I—thank you for everything…"

Maleficent's jaw dropped slightly. She struggled for words for a long moment. Her beastie was afraid to face her council. The faery was expecting this, but that did not prepare her for the way she wanted to hold Aurora close to her and promise to vanquish all the girl's fears. She held Aurora and rested her chin atop the queen's head in an effort to compose herself.

"Beastie—I'll tell you what's going to happen. You're going to go into that castle of yours with your head held high, just as I taught you. Then you're going to show your subjects that you are not a queen to be reckoned with. I will be at your side to the end, no matter what they try and throw at you. I can assure you, they will fail so long as I draw breath."

* * *

Aurora twisted to sit with both her legs dangling from Diaval's side. She stared up at her godmother with her mouth agape. Her godmother's words rang in her ears.

"So long as you draw breath? Godmother, are you expecting to die in there? Because I can't allow that!"

The hurt that crossed her godmother's face reminded her of a horrible day that seemed so very long ago. It was the day she found out about the curse her godmother placed on her, the day she found out her faery godmother wasn't really her godmother at all, but the wicked faery Maleficent. The expression on the horned faery's face reflected the one she remembered from that dark day.

"Aurora, I didn't mean—they can't hurt me."

' _Yes, they can_ ,' Aurora wanted to say. She wanted to tell her godmother that she was the key to hurting the faery. She shuddered at the thought of the council using her to get to her godmother, and she found that the thought sickened her. She wrapped her arms around her godmother's neck and rested her head against her shoulder.

"Promise me that you'll take your own safety into consideration?" Her voice was quiet, as it caught in her throat. She could not bear looking up at her godmother, so she focused on the rolling hills in the distance.

"Aurora," her godmother said firmly. "I will not allow anyone to harm you, ever again. I know I was remiss to my earlier promise that no harm would come to you for as long as I lived; I intend to keep it this time."

Aurora all but wept as her godmother planted her lips on her forehead. She tightened her grip around her godmother's neck, and refused to let go until they reached the bridge leading to the castle.

"Beastie," her godmother murmured. "We are here."

Aurora took a tentative look around. Her guards were coming out to meet them, with spears pointing toward them. She gulped as her godmother lifted her off Diaval's back; she could not remember her godmother untangling from her grasp, or dismounting Diaval. She nodded to the faery before facing her guards.

" _Into a bird_."

Diaval cawed and flapped his wings to get into the air, where Aurora was certain he would be safe.

"Your Majesty," said the taller, drawing her attention back to the guards. His voice was a deep tenor. He appeared cautious of both Aurora and Maleficent.

"You would do well to point those spears away from your queen and her protector," Aurora commanded, mustering as much authority into her voice as she could. She had to admit that it was much easier with her godmother at her side.

"Lord Gregory has accused you of treason," the guard replied.

Aurora frowned. ' _So it is him… William's father…_ ' She tilted her chin up in a show of her power. It was all for show. Deep down, she was terrified for her life as well as her godmother's, but she couldn't let that show. "Take us to him."

"Yes, Your Majesty. But not the Witch of the Moors." He glared at Maleficent with what Aurora could only describe as pure, treacherous loathing. It did not bode well for them.

She watched as her godmother arched a brow at him. "If I really wanted to pass, you could not stop me," she said in a voice that was not meant to be challenged.

"Godmother, please," whispered Aurora. She shot her godmother a pleading look before turning to the guards. "Maleficent is coming with me," she declared. "If you value your lives as they are, I suggest you cooperate."

The guard considered her words for a moment. "If she tries anything, she dies," he snarled.

"Beastie, might I suggest you remove him from your guard once we settle this," she heard her godmother whisper in her ear.

Her lips thinned at the recommendation. She was hoping that she could change this guard's opinion of her godmother through example, that she could change everyone's mind with enough time.

She swayed as the doors to her castle swung open. She would have fallen had her godmother not been there to prop her up. She gripped the faery's offered arm as the two guards flanked them, and took slow but steady steps through the crowded throne room toward the dais where on her throne sat Lord Gregory.

Even though his face was hidden in the shadows, she could tell that he was leering at her. Several men that she could not quite recognize stood behind him, likely a new council to suit his wants.

She glared up at him as her godmother supported her through the room. She put a great deal of effort into ignoring the whispers of those they passed.

"The Witch of the Moors..."

"What is  _she_  doing here...?"

"Our disgraced queen is holding onto the witch as a lover..."

"I knew she was a rotten one..."

"To the core..."

"They'll both get what's coming now..."

"The guards ought to have struck them down upon coming here..."

"I hear the queen killed Lord William because he refused her..."

_To be continued_ …

 


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: This chapter was actually a lot of fun to write, for reasons. This is one of those chapters I was really looking forward to writing and sharing when I started this project. Be warned, there are probably lots of Malora feels ahead, depending on your sensitivity level. There is a scene in this chapter that got inspiration from a fan comic that I saw on Tumblr a little while back. To the person who created that (if you're among those reading this), thank you for the little bit of inspiration that provided me. I'm sorry, I cannot remember who the original artist is, and there is a lot of stuff to sort through to find you. If any of you know what I'm talking about after reading this, if you would kindly let me know who drew that lovely fan art, please let me know so that I can give proper credit.**

**Chapter 9**

Maleficent kept her beastie close to her as they walked side by side through the throne room and to the edge of the dais. She was constantly assessing the threat to her queen, with two guards flanking them, many more guards standing between them and the crowd gathered in the chamber, and the row of men standing in the shadows behind the throne where her beastie ought to be sitting. Instead, a man sat there, leering down at them. She concluded that he must be Lord Gregory. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the old man who dared to so blatantly attempt to usurp her beastie's authority. Her lips curled into an unpleasant sneer.

Her wings shuddered of their own accord. If this proved to be a trap like she feared, escape would not be that easy. They were simply outnumbered. She could not just take Aurora and fly, as much as she wished to at that moment. Aurora would weigh her down too much, and then she would be shot down, leaving them both defenseless. If Aurora ran, there was a good chance the guards would catch her, even if she provided a distraction. If she proposed such a plan, she doubted her beastie would willingly go along with it, and that could cause more trouble than it would solve in the long run.

She kept her face trained into a passive expression as she waited for the usurper to address her beastie. And for his sake, she hoped he did so with the appropriate deference.

"Aurora," he said with a voice that carried throughout the chamber. Maleficent noted how he did not address her properly; it made the storm inside pick up in magnitude. He leaned forward slightly. "I see you deemed it appropriate to bring the Witch of the Moors with you." His voice sent Maleficent's teeth on edge.

Maleficent hissed before her beastie could stop her. She pretended to ignore the desperate tugging at her robes. She tilted her chin up and sneered at the man who was either brave or stupid enough to sit on her beastie's throne and address them in such a fashion; she guessed that he was the latter.

"I came here with Queen Aurora expecting the rumors to be false," she announced to the entire chamber. "Lord Gregory, you dare steal the throne from your queen?" She narrowed her blazing eyes at him, daring him to make his next move.

"She is no queen to me!" He spat. His words were met with some horrified gasps, and to Maleficent's horror, a few nods of approval. It sent chills down her spine to realize that not everyone was supportive of Aurora's reign.

"You swore to serve me at my coronation!" Aurora cried, clinging tightly to Maleficent's arm.

"Hush, Aurora," Maleficent murmured in her ear. "Do not waste your breath on him; I will handle this." She placed a gentle kiss atop her head, which got a few of the closest people whispering, before returning her attention to Lord Gregory and the rest of the nobility. She opened her mouth to rebuke him for speaking to her beastie so rudely, but he interrupted her.

"Aurora, I hereby charge you with treason!" Lord Gregory stood and pointed at the young queen. "Guards, seize them!"

Maleficent hid her with her wings as a few guards stepped forward. She shot them all a glare that dared them to take another step toward her. That look promised a death most painful should they attempt to harm a single hair on Aurora's head.

"And the Witch of the Moors, I charge you with the death of King Stefan!"

"You have no right!" Aurora shrieked. She struggled to get out of Maleficent's protective hold over her.

"Aurora, no!" She stopped at the look Aurora gave her. Her beastie's brows were furrowed with worry, and there were tears welled up in her blue eyes. She was silently begging Maleficent to do nothing, and the faery could not disobey such a plea, as much as she wanted to. She loosened her grip, but did not completely relinquish it. Every muscle in her body was poised to snap into action should the guards make their move...when they made their move.

"I passed laws protecting the Moors and all its inhabitants!" Aurora said regally. The way she held herself with her back straight, head held high, and the way she maintained eye contact with Lord Gregory made Maleficent's chest swell with pride.

Maleficent had to admit in that instant that her beastie was no longer the child she was so stubbornly holding on to. She was still her beastie, but she was a grown woman, and a fantastic queen. She stepped closer to Aurora in a show of support.

"You would destroy many generations of tradition!" Lord Gregory snarled. "Guards! Take them away! They will meet the block in the morning!"

Maleficent snapped her wings to their full glory. She let out an enraged battle cry as she batted guards away from her beastie.

"NO!" Aurora cried. She struggled against the faery's grasp around her waist. "Stop!"

"Aurora, please—" Maleficent pleaded in a low snarl as she ducked with her queen from a pike. It missed by mere inches; she could feel the tip of the iron radiating heat as it brushed past her left wing. She twisted and slammed her wing against the guard with enough force to send him flying back. He crashed to the floor a few feet away with a look of pained shock.

"ENOUGH!"

Maleficent glared up at Lord Gregory, but she kept her focus on the guards coming in to circle around her and Aurora. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she calculated what it would take to get her beastie to safety.

"You are surrounded, witch," he spat. "The next move you make will mean your death."

She turned at the sound of heavy footsteps marching behind her. The spectators cut a path between her and the door for a group of twelve crossbowmen. They had their bolts aimed at her.

"Aurora, I'm sorry…" Tears burned her eyes. She had failed her single most important job, to protect Aurora. Lord Gregory was right; they were surrounded, and no matter what she tried next, she was not going to get out of this alive. She also had doubts that Aurora would make it if she sacrificed her own life.

* * *

Aurora looked up at her godmother with eyes filled with worry. She searched her godmother's pain stricken face, wondering what the faery had planned. Whatever it was, it certainly could not be good.

_'Oh god, no! This is not what I had planned! How do I fix this? I've got to fix this! It's all my fault!'_

She glanced around frantically, searching for some escape she could utilize. She  _had_  to get her godmother to safety. Her godmother had followed her back to the castle, even though she didn't want Aurora to return in the first place, and now Lord Gregory was bent on killing the faery, and it was all Aurora's fault.

A wave of dizziness hit her as the panic set in. She clutched to her godmother for support.

"Take them to the dungeons!"

"G—godmother—please, don't fight—don't want to see—you die." Her vision swam, and she felt bile burn in her throat.

She felt her godmother's long nails digging into her arms, but she did not comprehend much more than that. She was suddenly in someone's arms, and her face rested against a soft breast. Warmth enveloped her and kept the cold, hopeless feeling at bay.

It was a long while before she came to. She groaned before spilling the contents of her stomach onto the cold stone floor. She barely noticed a pair of hands holding her hair back while she purged her stomach.

It was so cold; the dungeons were cold; Aurora found out several hours after a guard unceremoniously pushed her and Maleficent into a shared cell. The stone floors were cold against her bare feet. Everything was damp and reeked of feces and urine and now vomit. As soon as she figured out a way out of this mess, she was going to order the guards who openly sided with Lord Gregory to clean the dungeons for starters. She wasn't sure if she could punish them further. That was assuming she actually found a way to free herself, and her godmother…

She curled up next to her faery, grateful that they were being held in the same cell. She could not imagine being in this by herself. She rested her head in her godmother's lap and whimpered as long fingers trailed through her tangled hair.

"Am I hurting you?" her godmother asked softly.

"No," she replied, her voice raspy. "I actually find what you're doing comforting…" She rested her hand on her godmother's knee and tugged at the fabric of her robes while she blushed. Having her godmother's hands running through her hair was soothing; she was close to falling asleep again, but she wanted to stay awake and soak in what time she had left with her godmother. She did not want to waste that precious time sleeping.

"Really? I'm glad."

Aurora's blush deepened, and she could feel her cheeks warm as she slipped her arms around her godmother's waist. "Godmother, I—I have a confession…"

"What is it, beastie?"

Aurora hesitated. She worried that her godmother would be angry with her for saying what was on her mind. That she was just entertaining one of her many fantasies, and that it would pass with time. At the same time, she had to say it, or she would die with regret.

"Beastie?"

"Godmother, I—I don't really know how to say this, but… Ever since your kiss broke the curse, I've thought there was something wrong with me…"

"Aurora—"

"I haven't met a man that makes me feel the way I'm told I should… Godmother, I only feel that way about you." She almost regretted saying anything as soon as the words left her mouth. Panic pumped through her bloodstream. She lifted herself up to look at her godmother's reaction.

She expected the shock: wide eyes, slightly agape mouth, and rapid breathing. What she didn't expect was the way her godmother stroked her cheeks.

"You…you have romantic feelings toward me?" Maleficent stuttered, something Aurora very rarely heard her do.

"Yes… And I wanted you to know, in case we don't—" She was interrupted by a kiss so heated and containing so much that she faltered with her words. She had wanted to say,  _'in case we don't make it out of here alive.'_ The words were forgotten as she struggled to process that her godmother was actually kissing her in a non platonic way.

She flung her arms around the faery and returned the kiss as soon as she realized what was happening with everything she had been suppressing over the years she had come to know and love the creature pressing closer to her. She slid her hands closer to the base of her godmother's horns, and a wicked smile crossed her lips at the moan she got in response.

* * *

Maleficent pulled away gently. She looked down at blue eyes that were darkened, plump lips, and reddened cheeks. She took a moment to catch her breath. She leaned in toward her beastie's ear.

"If you want this to continue, you little beast," she whispered in a sultry tone, "you cannot keep calling me your 'godmother'."

She smiled at the way her beastie shivered at her words. "Do I have your word?"

"Yes, go—Maleficent."

Maleficent's smile darkened at the near slip. She dismissed it and leaned forward to capture another kiss, this one slower and tenderer. When she felt a small hand cup her breast, she bit and sucked on Aurora's lower lip before retreating with a gasp. She tilted her head back as her beastie's hand squeezed. "Curious little beastie," she groaned.

"Maleficent…"

Green eyes met blue, and she knew that if she didn't regain control of the situation, things were going to get too heated, and that wasn't how Maleficent wanted things to happen between them. She placed gentle but firm hands on Aurora's shoulders and pushed back.

"Aurora… Not here. I want your first time to be someplace special. Like the Moors." She felt incredibly silly saying it like that, but she meant every word.

The frown on Aurora's face nearly made her resolve falter. "But we might not get another opportunity to express what we feel…"

"Yes, we will," Maleficent declared firmly. She pulled her beastie into her lap and held her. "We  _will_  make it out of this alive."

_'And when we do, Lord Gregory will pay for putting you through so much grief,'_  she promised silently.

She hummed a soft lullaby to get Aurora back to sleep. It did not take long before her beastie went limp and began snoring. Her eyes softened as she stroked Aurora's hair.

The memory of just how close they had come to…being intimate made Maleficent blush. She had some difficulty processing the new development in their relationship, but she did not find Aurora's advances unwanted. She cherished their moments together. In fact, this all made sense when she really thought about the last few years. All the stolen glances she caught when Aurora was certain that she wasn't looking. The way Aurora's smile slowly changed from youthful innocence to something more that Maleficent could not quite pinpoint, that now she attributed to hints about how her beastie felt. The way Aurora seemed to always accidentally brush her hand against Maleficent's during their walks through the Moors. And the kiss Aurora placed on her lips a few days ago made so much more sense now. The memories intensified Maleficent's blush.

"I love you, beastie," she murmured, pulling Aurora closer and wrapping her wings around them for protection against the cold. "And nothing will ever change that." She planted a firm kiss against her beastie's temple. She smirked slightly when Aurora shifted and moaned drowsily.

* * *

Diaval cawed frantically as his Mistress and hatchling were taken down to the dungeons. He could not believe his Mistress would simply go along with being captured. There had to be something else going on. Maybe she had a plan? That was what he tried telling himself to make sense of a very confusing situation.

He circled around the castle, searching for a way he could get down to the dungeons to release his Mistress and Aurora. The castle was locked up tighter than it had been in years. All the windows were shut, under Lord Gregory's orders, and everyone seemed to obey him either out of fear or loyalty. Diaval was afraid to discover which it was.

Despite the hopelessness of the situation, he continued to search for a way inside. He  _had_  to rescue his Mistress and Aurora.

After circling the castle a couple times, he landed on a nearby tree while he considered everything going on. The hatchling was being accused of treason, and no one was standing in her defense. She had no champion outside his Mistress, and that made him even bitterer toward the humans. If they would not stand with their rightful queen when she needed them most, they had no right to reap the benefits of her rule. Then there was the fact that his Mistress had simply given up and submitted herself to the dungeons with Aurora after she came close to coming to real blows with the humans. Surely, she could defeat them…  _'So why did you submit?'_  He shuddered.

"—going to finally get what's coming to her," said a stoutly man in black robes.

Diaval perked up and listened intently. Was he talking about his Mistress? He parted his beak in anticipation.

"If I were Gregory, I would have ordered her execution today," replied another with a somber frown. "We need to purify our kingdom, and to do that, we must get rid of Aurora and her witch."

"I heard that Gregory is going to give Aurora one last chance at repentance. But the witch is to die on the morn."

Diaval clicked his beak before he glided above them silently. He could not allow them to do that to his Mistress or Aurora. He  _had_ to get inside the castle; he  _had_  to find them, before it was too late.

He slipped into the castle without anyone's notice as the nobles returned to their chambers. As much as he wanted to continue eavesdropping on them, he knew that time was limited.

When he reached the entrance to the dungeons, he found the door closed. That simply would not do. Much to his disappointment, the bars acting as a window to the door were too small for him to squeeze through. It was then that he noticed a large silhouette with horns and wings in the far corner of the dungeon. He found his Mistress!

He cawed softly, hoping that was enough to get her attention. When she did not stir, he pecked at the bars.

That did the trick. She looked up, and he could see the green glow of her eyes as their eyes met.

"Diaval—" Her voice was hoarse. It sounded as though she had been crying.

"Hn? Maleficent? What's going on?" The second voice belonged to Aurora.

Diaval felt relief at knowing that they were both kept together. He cocked his head to the side at the fact that Aurora called his Mistress by name instead of Godmother. That was a conversation for later. Right now, he had more pressing issues to worry about.

" _Into a man…_ "

"Mistress!" Diaval hissed. He fought against the door, but it was still locked. "Arg! The door's locked!"

"Diaval, one of the guards will have a key."

"Diaval! Oh god, please, you've got to get us out of here!" Aurora cried.

"Hush, Aurora… We don't want the guards to hear."

"I will find a way to free you," Diaval promised them.

_To be continued…_

 


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: I am only vaguely sorry about this chapter. As a warning, many of you will probably not like some of the content; in fact I expect many of you will probably hate me after this. For those of you who follow me on Tumblr, this is that chapter I mentioned that I'm expecting the torches and pitchforks to show up in my email inbox. Coco, thank you for giving me the confidence I needed to keep this chapter as it is. I do not write to please; I write the content to make the story progress in the way I am "told" through whatever madness it is that takes hold when I write. And another thank you to Coco for helping me with a minor but necessary detail. You know what I'm talking about...**

**Chapter 10**

Maleficent's eyes widened as she heard the distinct pounding of armored footfalls against the stone floor. She gathered Aurora as close to her as was physically possible, going so far as to drape her wing around her precious beastie to shield her away from any potential harm.

"Mistress?" She could hear the fear crack in Diaval's voice.

" _Into a bird_!" She flicked her wrist in his direction quickly, and as her magic hit him, he transformed into a raven. It could not hit him fast enough, for the guards had come; she counted three silhouettes. Her heart pounded erratically with panic, but she kept her expression a passive mask so as to not frighten Aurora any further than she already was.

"No! DIAVAL!" Aurora cried, fighting against Maleficent's grip. The faery tightened her hold over her queen. Unadulterated panic surged through her, and she felt her throat constricting. It felt as though each moment went by in flashes that stood still for a second too long before they were gone, and another came.

She watched, feeling completely helpless as the guards managed to grab Diaval before he had the chance to fly to safety. Tears stung her eyes when the guards stuffed him unceremoniously into a birdcage. It was as though they had planned on him coming down to the dungeons, and they just waited for him to come to ambush him. The tears fell silently when he cawed.

"DIAVAL!" In Maleficent's numb state, Aurora managed to push her away and sprint to the door. "You release him this instant! I am your queen, and I command it! Let him go!"

The way Aurora screeched at the guards made Maleficent look up. It was so very unlike her beastie to sound like that. It broke her heart to hear Aurora sounding so distressed. Anger welled up in her at the guards, and specifically Lord Gregory for the further stress her beastie was being put under.

"You are no longer our queen," one of the guards sneered. He spat in her face.

"Ack!" Aurora stumbled backward and rubbed at her eyes.

Maleficent's wings twitched and her upper lip curled into a snarl as she swept over to her beastie. She shushed the queen as she swiped her fingers delicately over Aurora's eyes to get the spit out. She glared at the retreating guards with the intent to kill for the way they treated both her beastie and Diaval, and she growled.

"Maleficent…" Now Aurora sounded weak, small. She slumped against the faery, making their bodies meet. The closeness made Maleficent hyper aware of every breath either of them took, and the way Aurora's arms snaked around her back. "What are we going to do?"

"Hush, Aurora," Maleficent murmured. She held Aurora close and whispered words of comfort. In truth, she felt like she was at her end rope, and everything was crashing in around her. She saw no way out of their precarious situation, and while she was willing to meet her own end, she was not willing to give up on Aurora's life just yet. She could not; she  _would not_. She cursed herself for willingly submitting to imprisonment, even though it was at Aurora's request. She groaned inwardly, and she wanted to scream her aggravation to the heavens.

"Aurora…" She pulled back only to lean down and pepper kisses over every inch of skin she could reach with her lips; on each of Aurora's eyes, her forehead, nose, cheeks, lips, chin, neck, everything…

"Maleficent?" Aurora breathed a sigh.

"Sh… Everything's going to be all right, darling Aurora… _my_  beastie." She rubbed small circles over Aurora's back while the young woman released her torrent of emotions. Aurora cried enough for both of them because Maleficent was unwilling to reveal the depth of her pain. All Maleficent could do was to try and comfort her beastie.

Once Aurora was reduced to hiccups and the occasional whimper, Maleficent led her to the back of their cell and gently lowered them so that Aurora rested in her lap. She ran her fingers through her beastie's disheveled hair until they both fell into a distressful slumber.

* * *

Diaval cawed repeatedly while the guard holding his cage marched through the castle. He got increasingly louder with his insults:  _Traitor, Scum, Oath-breaker, Scoundrel, Villain,_ and everything else he could come up with. While he knew the guard most certainly did not understand him, he must have gotten the gist of what he meant.

"Be quiet, you!" The guard rattled the cage roughly until Diaval went silent.

Diaval's beady eyes glared at the guard with all the distaste he could muster. These guards, and their boss were going to pay for every second his Mistress and Aurora stayed in their cell, as soon as he figured out how to get out of his own cage. He ruffled his feathers.

"Lord Gregory," the guard said, announcing his presence and bowing as a show of deference. "We've caught the witch's familiar." He lifted the cage, and Diaval was able to glare at the man responsible for so much pain for his Mistress and hatchling. He was going to peck this man's eyes out as soon as he got out of his cage, and he might leave him alive for his Mistress to deal with as she saw fit. He anticipated that she would want to deal with this man in her own way, and he was inclined to acquiesce that desire.

Lord Gregory peered down at Diaval with a smile that made the raven's contempt rise. Diaval shuddered with disgust at the way the human lord was gazing at him, like a child who caught a bug and was planning on ripping the wings off.

Lord Gregory looked at the guard. "You have done well, son. Hang him just up there. I want him to watch as we execute that witch." He waved his hand in a dismissal before he left the chamber.

"Sir!"

Diaval resumed his racket. This time, he rattled the bars of his cage with his beak. He swung his cage from the chain the guard attached it to for the rest of the night in an attempt to crash the cage to the floor and break free. Dread filled him with each passing hour, for he knew that if he did not escape, he could not rescue his Mistress.

His attempts to break out of his tiny prison did nothing but tire him out. He fought against his exhaustion. He was unwilling to give up, no matter what.

_'Mistress…'_  was his final thought before he lost his battle against his own body. He fell to the bottom of his cage with his wings spread out.

* * *

The only reason that Aurora was able to sleep at all that night was that she felt so drained. It was a dreamless sleep, and she could not even muster the energy to be grateful for that small blessing.

When she opened her eyes, she did not move. She could hear Maleficent snoring next to her. She drowned in the sound, desperately trying to memorize it. Hearing Maleficent snoring did wonders for her nerves, but her stomach was still twisted in a tight knot that it had tangled itself into upon returning to her castle and facing the charges laid against her.

She whimpered and gripped Maleficent's robes. She tugged on the fabric and curled into a tighter ball.

"Beastie?" Maleficent's soft tenor sounded as though the faery was also drained of all energy.

Aurora lifted her head and met Maleficent's eyes. What she saw broke her heart more than anything else ever had. Maleficent's eyes were pale green, almost like she  _wanted_  to be angry, but couldn't tap into her energy enough to actually feel anything. The way Maleficent looked at her, with her eyebrows slack and her lips set passively sent a jolt of fear through Aurora. She leaned against her faery, her rock, her  _everything_ , and cupped those sharp cheekbones she had always been fascinated with.

"Aurora…"

Their forehead met, and they just held the other. Both were silent; there was nothing more they could really say, not in that moment at least.

Aurora's grip around Maleficent tightened when she heard the distinct sound of footsteps against the floor coming closer. She felt Maleficent return the embrace with just as much desperation behind it.

"Maleficent—I love you!" she whispered quickly before a sob broke through.

"Sh, I know, I know," Maleficent replied.

Aurora felt her head being tilted up, and before she could say anything else, she felt lips pressed against her own. The kiss was fiery, sweet, loving, and desperate all rolled into one. It told Aurora all she needed to know, that no matter what happened, Maleficent would always love her. She returned that kiss, trying to convey the deep well of things she felt for Maleficent in that one act.

"You two are coming with us!"

Aurora pulled away from her love and glared at the guard who dared interrupt what may very well be her last moment with Maleficent. She allowed for Maleficent to help her to her feet.

They were both handcuffed in iron. She could hear Maleficent stifle a pained hiss through clenched teeth. Her stomach dropped as she realized that Maleficent would be unable to use magic if things went south, or at least more south than they already had. Two pairs of guards escorted them out of the dungeons. She fought against the two guards escorting her whenever they touched her shoulders or elbows, only to have their grips tighten painfully. She was sure that she would find bruises, assuming she survived whatever it was that they were dragging her to.

They were brought to the courtyard, where courtiers were gathered around a wooden platform. Atop the platform was none other than Lord Gregory, surrounded by some of Aurora's old council and a company of knights. On the far end was a brutish man in a black cowl holding an ax.

Aurora's stomach dropped. An executioner…they were going to be executed.

"Aurora!" Maleficent cried. She turned to see the faery struggle to get to her, but the two guards responsible for her smacked her down.

"Maleficent!" Anger, she felt angry at the men for hitting Maleficent. She tried to reach her, but the guards held her forcibly back. She sobbed, afraid of what was going to happen next. She feared for Maleficent, and it hurt knowing that she might have to watch her be executed right in front of her. She couldn't bear it; it was all too much. "Don't touch her!"

"Enough!" Lord Gregory barked. Everyone gathered turned to him. Aurora shot daggers through her eyes at him. She never wanted to hurt someone as much as she did at that moment, and it was all because of the pain he was causing Maleficent. "Aurora…Witch of the Moors…for your crimes against the kingdom of Alba, you will both be executed by beheading."

"Lord Gregory!" Lord Alphonse came forward, wheezing and shaking in his decrepit age.

_'No,'_  Aurora thought in despair. Her tears somehow became thicker as they flowed down her grime smeared cheeks.  _'Alphonse, no!'_

"She is still our queen," he continued. "You have no right to execute her." He pointed at Lord Gregory accusingly.

"Then you will be first," Lord Gregory declared. "Guards!"

"You're a tyrant, Gregory!" Aurora shouted amongst the gasps from the courtiers. "My kingdom will not stand for this!"

"The kingdom is no longer yours," Lord Gregory sneered.

Aurora watched helplessly as a pair of guards stepped forward to drag Lord Alphonse to the executioner's block. Her heart pumped wildly as her councilman was kicked down to his knees. In his frailty, it must have broken a few bones. She winced.

"Aurora!" Maleficent cried, sounding desperate. "Don't watch! Please…don't watch this…"

She could not turn away, despite Maleficent's pleas. Her eyes remained peeled open as the axe came down on Lord Alphonse. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as his head rolled away from his fallen body. Blood splattered. There was so much blood. It made her ill, but she had nothing left in her stomach to purge. She swayed with dizziness, and she would have collapsed if the guards weren't holding onto her. It took her a few moments to shake the weakness away, and once she did, she was livid.

"What the Hell do you want, Gregory?" Aurora shrieked as the head was held up for display. She felt veins popping in her neck as she struggled against the guards holding her back from launching at him.

Lord Gregory sneered down at her self-righteously. The expression made Aurora repulsed, especially because it came so immediately after an execution of one of his colleagues. "What I want from you, Aurora is a male heir, which you seem disinclined to give your kingdom because of that vile Witch of the Moors."

"If I give the kingdom that heir, will Maleficent go free?" She cringed against the cries and pleas of her love. She blinked back hot tears. She didn't want to shed any more. She didn't want to appear weak. Through all of it, she refused to look back at Maleficent and see the pain she knew she was causing. She struggled to swallow the lump lodged in her throat as she waited for him to answer.

The smile on Lord Gregory's face was absolutely nauseating to Aurora. He rose to his full height to address the crowd. "Take Aurora to her quarters and keep her there while I deal with that witch."

"NO!" Aurora shrieked. She struggled against the guards who were trying to take her away. She  _had_  to reach Maleficent. Their lives depended on it.

"AURORA!"

"MALEFICENT!"

Aurora kicked and screamed against the two guards dragging her away. She yanked against their hold to no avail. Still, she did not completely give up. She couldn't...

She watched helplessly as Maleficent used her wings to send the guards flying back from her. The screeches that her love sounded sent chills down her spine. It was exhilarating and frightening to watch.

"Guards!" Lord Gregory barked furiously.

Aurora's eyes widened, as crossbowmen lined up and aimed at Maleficent. "MALEFICENT! LOOK OUT!"

Someone hit the back of her head, and her vision went hazy for a few seconds or minutes; she wasn't entirely certain. She recognized that she was being dragged away from the scene, but she did not comprehend much more than that.

"Aurora!" The voice sounded weakened in her dazed state.

She blinked, confused. She tried to shake the fog over her mind away, but found that it was easier said than done. Then her entire world went black…

_To be continued…_


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: I think I might be vaguely sorry for the cliffhanger on the last chapter. If it makes any of you feel better, I did feel sick to my stomach for a little while after writing it, so maybe I do have a shred of humanity left.**

**Chapter 11**

Aurora felt woozy when she came to some time later. She was uncertain exactly how much time had transpired, and she didn't want to open her eyes to find out. Her head pounded with her heartbeat, and that just made everything worse. She could tell that she was in a bed based off the softness around her. Someone had taken great care to tuck her in. Who would do that though? She didn't think she had any allies left in the kingdom... She groaned as the memories of why she hurt came back.

She had declared her true feelings for Maleficent, and the faery returned them. Diaval was captured and held hostage somewhere, or dead. She was terrified to discover his fate. She had stood by and watched helplessly as one of her advisors lost his head…simply for defending her against Lord Gregory.

Lord Gregory… Just the thought of him and everything he's done to her made her gut tighten. And Lord Alphonse… She cried silently for the unnecessary loss of life.

When she took the crown after her father's death, it was Lord Alphonse who taught her the history of her kingdom. Nearly every afternoon for the first three years of her reign, she met him in her private study to learn from him. He was always very kind to her during those long and tedious lessons, but he fostered her desire to learn everything she could about her kingdom. It was through his history lessons that she began to discover her heritage and understand more about the long wars her ancestors waged against the Moors, and thus uncover more about why Maleficent distrusted humans so much. She was also able to formulate new laws that banned iron and protected the Moors because of Lord Alfred's lessons. She even began to see him as more than just a member on her council; he was her mentor and almost like family. While it was just the two of them, he even began calling her just Aurora instead of Queen Aurora or Majesty, names that Aurora was quick to tire over. She viewed such formalities as stifling. Aurora began acting more like herself instead of a queen during her history lessons, much to his bafflement at times. It was a time for her to relax in between endless hearings that constantly called for her attention. Those were the only moments outside of when she was alone in her private chambers or in the Moors when she could act more like herself, and now she would never get to have those times again.

She was going to miss him dearly. His death left a hollow void in her soul, but it wasn't the only reason she felt like a hollowed husk of her former self.

_'Maleficent…'_  She could not remember if Maleficent made it out of the courtyard alive, and she was more than a little afraid to find out. If she opened her eyes, and Maleficent was no more, she was not sure if she could go on living. If Maleficent was no longer in this world, then she figured she had nothing more to live for. The thought of a world without Maleficent petrified her.

She delved further into her memories. Anything to avoid facing whatever reality she awoke to.

Aurora remembered those long nights after sneaking into the Moors without her "aunts" catching on. She  _lived_  for each night she went to secretly spend time with Maleficent and the other Moorland creatures. Maleficent had taught her so much during those fleeting months of her youth that felt so far away now. The way Maleficent held herself back then was so different from how Aurora saw her now; back then, there were so many walls that Aurora fought to climb over. Sometimes Aurora felt like she was getting through to the dark faery, but then there were other instances that Maleficent pulled away, and Aurora had to fight even harder to get anywhere. Over time, Aurora began believing that Maleficent would be with her forever; that no harm could come to her so long as she was near Maleficent. And then that fateful day happened that she discovered the truth behind who Maleficent was. Of course, back then she didn't have the full story because her three pixie "aunts" didn't possess all the information. Grief and betrayal drove her when she ran back to her father's castle, and it was there that she exposed the dark and terrible truth behind Maleficent's curse on her; that heartache and treachery drove her into darkness that stemmed from Stefan stealing her wings. Once Maleficent's kiss woke her from the curse, and the faery explained everything to her, she forgave Maleficent; although, at the time she did not realize that it was because she loved the faery in more ways than the maternal bond it started as.

It took years to work to that conclusion. The first time she realized it was during her visit a year ago. She was supposed to be in the Moors for only three days that time. Her visits had become shorter, fewer, and farther between, mainly due to her responsibilities to the human kingdom. On the night before she was supposed to go back, she was curled up next to Maleficent in the hammock-nest-bed in the faery's Rowan. They had just spent the day simply walking through the Moors, enjoying the other's company like they used to during the months leading up to Aurora's sixteenth birthday.

Aurora was trailing circular patterns along Maleficent's arm.

"What is it, beastie?" Maleficent had asked, her voice driving a shiver down Aurora's spine both at the time and in the present. The faery's voice had that affect on her; it had since the first time they met when Aurora had coaxed her shadow out of the brush.

"Huh? Oh—I was just thinking how nice it would to just stay here and never return to the castle." She had sighed wistfully. Looking back on this moment, Aurora wished that she  _had_ decided to stay in the Moors. If she had, none of the terrible things the past few weeks would have happened…

The look in Maleficent's eyes puzzled Aurora. "Beastie… You can't abandon your duty…" The gentleness in her touch as she stroked Aurora's cheek brought fresh tears to her eyes as she looked back on the moment. She would give  _anything_  to feel Maleficent's touch again, and she doubted she would ever get the pleasure again. She hurt simply thinking about it.

"Godmother, the men on my council block me at almost every turn," she pouted.

"And that is why you must continue to rule as their queen. It is because of you that we have peace after hundreds of years of conflict."

"But I love you…"

"And I love you," Maleficent chuckled. Looking back, Aurora realized that the chuckle was forced, almost like Maleficent was hiding something, even though they had promised to each other to always be honest. "Now go to sleep, beastie. You have a long journey tomorrow…"

The air that hung over them felt thick, but Aurora closed her eyes and fell into a pleasant slumber with her faery pressed against her for warmth. Oh, how Aurora was going to miss those moments if she continued living.

What really hurt after everything she had gone through recently was that she had finally declared her love to Maleficent and had it returned in kind before they were violently torn apart. The loss she felt was unlike anything she had ever experienced. It shattered her without any regard to how she was affected, and she doubted that she could ever pick up the pieces. She could never love anyone as she had loved Maleficent…

She finally allowed herself to release everything she was trying to hold back. The numbness that hazed her mind gave way to a pain that was simply unbearable. It was worse than being flogged. This time, she had no savior, she was sure. The physical pain that her sobs brought on was nothing compared to the raging storm coursing through her mind.

"Maleficent…I'm so sorry…"

She started when she felt a slender hand grip her shoulder. She could not believe what she was seeing when she finally forced her eyes open. Was she dreaming? Hallucinating perhaps? She knew there were herbal drugs that could induce such a state, and she didn't doubt that Lord Gregory would employ such methods of torture. Still, she almost didn't care what the reason was.

"Maleficent?" she asked in a small, uncertain voice.

The tall faery smiled before drawing her into a bone-crushing embrace, which she returned as soon as she realized that Maleficent was indeed in the flesh. Her sobs grew louder, and she noticed that Maleficent was also bawling.

"Oh, Aurora… Sweet Aurora…"

"I was afraid…" Aurora whimpered. She buried her face into the crook of Maleficent's neck.

"Sh… It's all right, Aurora. You're safe now. You're safe," Maleficent whispered soothingly.

* * *

Maleficent held Aurora and rocked them back and forth. She was simply relieved that Aurora was awake, that the guards hadn't been too rough on her. She ran her fingers through Aurora's flaxen hair.

She knew that she had a lot to explain, but she wanted to wait until Aurora was ready. She didn't know if she was ready herself to divulge everything that had happened during their escape.

"Maleficent…where are we?" Blue eyes that were red and puffy from crying looked up at her.

"That cottage those three dolts raised you in," she answered gently. "In your old room."

Aurora sighed, and Maleficent felt the woman she loved loosen her grip. Within moments, she was sleeping again, and snoring softly. Maleficent was content to hold her; it was certainly much better than waiting next to the bed for any sign of life for two nights. She guessed that Aurora had to be hungry, but she would wait a little while longer to feed her beastie anything. For now, her love needed to rest.

She was determined to never let Aurora go, not after what happened. She was going to keep Aurora safe, no matter what. Even though she kept breaking that promise time and again, she was more determined than ever to keep it. Her beastie had gone through too much.

Maleficent held Aurora through the night; she was simply glad that she had successfully rescued her love from Lord Gregory's clutches. Thinking about the man who caused her beastie further pain made her magic flare and around her, and she did not bother containing it. Aurora was sleeping; she would never know the rage currently flowing through her. As soon as she was finished picking up the pieces and rebuilding Aurora's life, she was going to punish the humans who supported Lord Gregory, regardless of the cause for their treachery. Then she was going to make Lord Gregory suffer; she was going to make him regret ever living when she was finished with him, and she had absolutely no intention of Aurora ever finding out. While she had promised to be always truthful to her beastie, she could not expose her to such vile things.

She stiffened when she felt Aurora stir. She looked down into her beastie's cerulean eyes, eyes that she could get lost in for an eternity if she wasn't careful. She did not realize the affect they had on her until it became apparent that she had nearly lost Aurora. She bit back a sob at the thought.

"Maleficent… So it wasn't a dream…" Aurora sounded weak, weaker than she ever had, and her smile only added to the sickening knot formed in Maleficent's stomach.

"No. I'm here, Aurora," Maleficent murmured tenderly. She stroked her cheek gently before leaning in for a soft kiss. While any act of intimacy made her feel vaguely uncomfortable, she was willing to endure it if it meant getting to see Aurora smile. She inhaled her beastie's scent before sitting back up. "How's your head…?"

"Hn? It's fine…I'm fine, Malle." Aurora sat up, and despite Maleficent's attempt to keep her down, her young lover insisted. They both compromised to having Aurora lean against Maleficent, at least until Maleficent was satisfied that her beastie was as fine as she claimed.

"Malle?" She peered down at Aurora with an arched brow that feigned dissatisfaction at the pet name.

"Mmhm," Aurora hummed drowsily. "I promise to only call you that when we are alone." She snuggled closer to Maleficent.

Maleficent was perplexed, but she was not necessarily displeased with the name. She hid her smile, not wanting to encourage her beastie any further than absolutely necessary. She let out a half-hearted huff to keep up appearances.

"I'm glad you're alive."

Maleficent blinked. She kissed the top of Aurora's head. "I gave you my word that no harm would come to you so long as I lived. I could not very well keep my oath if I died, could I?"

Aurora let out a half-hearted laugh at Maleficent's attempt at lightening the mood. She stretched up to kiss Maleficent. It was a quick peck of the lips, but it was all Maleficent needed to know how much her beastie loved her, and how devastated she would be if anything happened to her.

"How did we escape?" Aurora asked with a frown.

Maleficent thought back to the moment Aurora promised to sacrifice her happiness in order that Maleficent could be spared the chopping block. The compromise caused Maleficent despair beyond all that she believed was possible to feel. She knew that Aurora loved her, truly loved her, and then she saw that love at work in a way that made her want to retch and vomit. She was the Protector of the Moors; Aurora wasn't supposed to be the one protecting her. She was supposed to be the one keeping Aurora safe. It was humiliating and heartbreaking all at once. She fought back the storm of emotions the memory brought forth.

"Do you remember the crossbowmen?" she asked after she gathered her tumultuous thoughts. She wrapped her arms around Aurora's waist in preparation for what she was about to tell her beastie. She wanted reassurance that her beastie was there, although she would never admit to the vulnerability her beastie brought forth from her. She saw it as the quickest way to exploit both of them. That was something she would never allow to happen again.

"Yes…I begged for you to get away from them…I thought they were going to kill you…"

"They almost did," Maleficent admitted somberly. She had used her wings as a shield. The pain from the bolts puncturing her still remained as a dull reminder of part of what it took to escape with Aurora. "I got lucky. Once they had all fired their bolts, I began fighting against the swordsmen."

The swords were made of iron. The cuts burned into her after they cut her skin. She had shrieked from the pain and desperation she felt. Aurora was all that mattered; she had to get her beastie to safety above all else.

"I had to get to you," she continued. "You were screaming, and I thought…I thought they were going…to kill you… The guards knocked you out before I got to them. I killed them before I took you and ran."

Blood…there was so much blood coming from Aurora's head. Aurora was unresponsive and cold. She feared for the worst, but she was not going to abandon Aurora's body to the whims of humans. If her beastie was in fact dead, then she was going to offer her a proper Moorish send off to the netherworld before she marched upon the castle and slaughtered everyone inside.

"Some of the guards followed us. I lost them as soon as I could."

Once she determined that Aurora was alive, at least in the meantime, she hid her beastie in the roots of one of the older trees half a league away from the castle. Then she began the long and precarious process of leading the guards off their scent. It wasn't easy, especially with the iron shackles still burning into her wrists. Thrice, they almost caught her, and if they did, she was certain that her beastie would have died, after the guards either captured or killed her.

"Once I lost them, I took you here, where I know you'll be safe. That was three and a half days ago."

As soon as she was certain that Aurora's condition was stable, she worked in a frenzy to get the iron shackles off. It wouldn't do to have the human soldiers stumble upon their hiding place when Maleficent was unable to use her magic. It would have been much easier if Diaval were there to help, but he wasn't. Eventually, she resorted to using a glamour to hide her horns and wings and bartered with a nearby farmer, promising to give the farmer a bountiful harvest with her magic if he removed her restraints. He had agreed all too quickly, and used a handsaw to cut through the manacles.

"Where  _we'll_  be safe," Aurora corrected gently, kissing her tearstained cheeks.

"Of course, beastie," she amended with a half-smile. She subconsciously tightened her hold around her beastie.

They were silent for a long while, before Aurora asked, "Where's Diaval? Did he escape as well?"

Maleficent frowned. Diaval's fate was uncertain, and it hurt. If she hadn't allowed for Lord Gregory to capture her and Aurora, Diaval would have never gone searching for them; he would still be free. "As far as I know, he is still in the castle... I only had time to take you and flee..."

"We'll get him back, Maleficent," Aurora promised fiercely. "Him and my kingdom. I cannot stand idly by while Lord Gregory bleeds my kingdom dry."

"Aurora…" Maleficent broke eye contact briefly. She took a moment to gather her words. "Gregory is still gathering his army— _your_  army to attack the Moors."

"We'll stop him, Maleficent…together…"

"You don't know how to fight… I cannot protect you in battle."

"Then teach me."

Those words burned Maleficent more than any iron could. She hid the pain behind a well-composed mask. "Aurora—"

"Maleficent, don't…please… This is my kingdom, and I will fight for it. I can't allow Lord Gregory to destroy all that I worked so hard to achieve."

"We might not have enough time," Maleficent argued. She hoped that Aurora would see the logic behind what she said.

"Then we'd better get started," stated the queen with a tone of finality.

Maleficent laughed in her mind at how persuasive Aurora had learned to become over the years since wearing the human crown. She was always able to create a swaying argument, but not like this. It was just one of the ways that she proved that she was no longer that innocent flower child Maleficent learned to love.

"We will see how you are feeling in the morning. Besides, I do not foresee Gregory marching the army in the dead of winter. We might have until Spring to prepare for war."

"I don't want to leave Diaval there for that long."

Maleficent sighed. "Nor do I, Aurora…but I cannot enter the castle without being captured myself. I am sure Diaval will survive for a little while." She held her beastie to her breast and hoped that she was right. She  _had_  to be right. If she wasn't, she would be distraught; Aurora would be devastated, and she could not allow that to happen.  _'No more pain, Aurora…I swear it. You will never be hurt again.'_  She gently tilted Aurora's head up and kissed her.

"What are we going to do, Maleficent?" Aurora asked. She sounded so vulnerable.

"We will rescue Diaval and take back your kingdom. As soon as you think you are able, I will teach you how to fight." She hated her own words, but she knew that the best way to protect Aurora now was to give her the tools to defend herself. That realization brought bile up her throat, which she swallowed back down forcefully.

* * *

Aurora closed her eyes, but she did not fall asleep. She could not sleep, knowing that Diaval was in danger. She placed her ear against Maleficent's chest and focused on her lover's heartbeat. The steady beat of the organ pumping blood soothed her some. It reminded her that Maleficent was both alive and right next to her. She snuggled closer to Maleficent.

"Are you cold, beastie?"

It was not until then that Aurora realized that she was shivering. She ignored the question and simply sought the warmth Maleficent provided her.

She felt a hand against her forehead. The contact was broken as quickly as it came.

"You're burning up…"

Aurora groaned. That was simply fantastic. She had basically gone to hell and back over the last few weeks, and now to top everything off, she had a fever. That explained some of the aches she felt throughout her body. She opened her eyes and looked up at Maleficent's worry stricken face.

"Aurora…I have to go and collect herbs for your fever," Maleficent said sharply as Aurora locked her arms around the faery's neck.

"What if Gregory's soldiers catch you?" Aurora murmured against Maleficent's collarbone. She kissed the skin there before nipping lightly. The act earned a sharp hiss from Maleficent, which only served to egg Aurora further on.

"Beastie…!"

Aurora felt Maleficent's hands tangle in her hair and pull slightly. She ran her hands through Maleficent's silky mahogany hair while she explored her faery's neck and collarbone. She kissed and nipped experimentally, trying to figure out how to get different reactions.

"Beastie…please…we need to stop…" Maleficent's breathing picked up pace as Aurora trailed a finger down the middle of her spine between her wings. The fact that Maleficent was so sensitive there gave Aurora an idea, one that she was not quite certain if Maleficent was going to like or not.

She trailed her fingers back up Maleficent's back; Maleficent arched closer to Aurora, making the blonde grin. She paused before scraping her nails down Maleficent's back. The strange hiss-moan that came from Maleficent's throat sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.

* * *

Maleficent didn't know what was happening. She knew that she needed to get those herbs for Aurora's fever, but the things Aurora was doing to her made her feel things that she never knew existed. Within moments, it felt like her body was on fire. Her thoughts were jumbled in the fray. She wanted desperately to drown in the pleasure that Aurora was giving her.

_'Time enough for that later,'_  she thought with a low growl. She placed her hands on Aurora's shoulders and firmly, but gently pushed her away. "Aurora, you're ill. I cannot take advantage of that… Stay here while I get you some tea." Before she left, she placed a gentle kiss on her beastie's hairline.

She did not stray far from the cottage. She doubted that Lord Gregory had stopped his search efforts for her and Aurora. The thought of him made her blood boil; it was a near constant state of being, but it got worse when she actively thought of him. She took several calming breaths through her nose.

Maleficent knew why it was a bad idea to march back to that castle and confront Lord Gregory herself, but that did not stop her from wanting to do just that. If she gave in to her rage, she would likely be killed, and then her beastie would be left defenseless. She had to think this through, plan, and become the embodiment of patience. She had been patient before, when she waited for sixteen years for her curse to play out. A few months ought to be nothing compared to a little over a decade and a half. At least that is what she tried to tell herself when her thoughts turned to counter arguments for why she should simply give in and rip Lord Gregory limb from limb while his men watched. She didn't even want to do that to Stefan. Of course, Stefan had never directly hurt Aurora. Lord Gregory did, and that was enough of a reason for Maleficent to unleash the sum of her wrath on him.

She stopped next to the desired shrub. She picked a few leaves before she used her magic to heal the plant. She carried the leaves back to the cottage.

When she returned, she started a fire and set water to boil. It took only a few minutes, during which Maleficent was able to further organize her turbulent thoughts. While she waited for the tea to steep, she gathered some berries and nuts she had collected the previous day into a small bowl for her and Aurora to share, as she was certain her beastie was hungry. She carried everything to the bedroom and spent the remainder of that day caring for her beastie, and warding off Aurora's advances.

_To be continued…_

 


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm expecting roughly ten more chapters, but that is subject to change at a moment's notice. And if you've survived your feelings up until this point, I can almost guarantee that you will survive until this story comes to its end. I think I did lay pretty heavy on the angst in this chapter… Also, I apologize for the delay with this chapter. It was extremely difficult to write certain parts.**

**Chapter 12**

The next few days were quiet. No word came from Aurora's kingdom about what Lord Gregory was up to. All either Aurora or Maleficent knew was that it could not be good.

Maleficent often left the cottage during the day, despite Aurora's best attempts at pleading for her not to, to spy on nearby farms. It was a cause of contention between them, one that neither was willing to back down on. Maleficent would grow agitated whenever Aurora brought it up, while Aurora begged and cried for the faery to stay with her in the cottage, where it was safe. Aurora argued that it was likely that Lord Gregory had soldiers combing through the area near the Moors to search for them. Maleficent rebuked her each time that point was brought up. Those arguments ended with Maleficent firmly pushing Aurora away and storming off.

As the dark faery walked through the woods separating the cottage from the neighboring farms, she thought about the most recent argument she had with her beastie. Aurora had thrown quite the tantrum this time. She had stomped her feet, and her face was blotched with anger as she yelled about how she was left wondering each day if Maleficent would return to her. Maleficent had scoffed at that. Of course she would return. She had no reason not to. Without Diaval there, Aurora was  _all_  she had to keep her sane. She would  _never_ abandon her beastie. The thought was absurd. She was offended that Aurora would think that she would not return, and that left her feeling emotionally drained.

She left each day because it was the only way she could figure out how to gather information on what Lord Gregory was plotting. A couple of the farms were good sources of that information. They were the hardest hit when the tax hike went into effect. One even lost a son to conscription. It was heartrending for Maleficent to watch from the shadows as a young man barely out of boyhood was ripped away from his family to serve in Lord Gregory's army. What really tore at Maleficent was the thought that she might end up killing the lad in the coming battle.

Never before had she had any qualms about killing a human who was not her beastie, but the way his parents pleaded for the soldiers to spare their son made her ill to think about causing any further pain, especially to those who were swept up in a conflict they had no part in, one that they wanted no role in. And yet she knew that if it came down to the survival of the Moors or Aurora, she would have no qualms killing every last soldier. The fact that she had no hesitation to slaughtering innocent lives that were unwillingly brought into this conflict caused a chill travel down her spine. Her wings shivered of their own accord at the thought.

She forced her loud thoughts on the matter to quiet. She did not have the luxury of concerning herself with things out of her control. She had to put Aurora's life first, and that was what she was going to do, even if that meant her beastie resenting her. A resentful beastie was a live beastie, after all. She could live with that and deal with the fallout later.

She found herself hiding behind a tree near the farm where she witnessed the lad being dragged away to serve in Lord Gregory's army. She watched as the boy's mother broke down into sobs inside the hovel she called home, while the woman's husband worked harder than usual in the field. Maleficent concluded that he was trying to get a last batch of crops to grow before the frosts set in. She sent a small amount of her magic into the ground to jumpstart the process. It was the least she could do for the family for what she was likely going to be forced to do.

When her work there was done, she continued walking along the shadows. She made her way toward the Moors.

* * *

Aurora felt empty as Maleficent left for the eighth time since she first woke up in her old bed in the cottage where she grew up after their escape from her castle. She slumped her shoulders in shame at the way she had thrown a tantrum earlier. While she had the best of intentions, to keep Maleficent safe, she knew that she was acting out of line. It was not how a queen should act; not that she really cared about that anymore. Her outburst was simply uncalled for, and she was going to pay for it by Maleficent giving her the cold shoulder later.

All she wanted was for Maleficent to understand her, and to understand Maleficent in turn. She hated being left alone in the cottage, even though Maleficent laid out wards that would warn her if someone were to stumble upon the cottage, unintentional or not. Whenever Maleficent was gone, Aurora felt vulnerable. She didn't realize how much she depended on Maleficent's presence to feel safe, and that feeling ate away at her each afternoon.

The only thing she could do to keep her mind off such dark thoughts was to clean the cottage and make it livable again. Both she and Maleficent decided that the best thing to do was to stay in the cottage, as the Moors would be the obvious place to hide, and the summer nights were turning cooler with the coming autumn. While Maleficent could survive in the worsening conditions, Aurora couldn't.

As Aurora dusted the small dining area, she thought about Maleficent's promise to teach her how to fight and how the faery had yet to live up to her word. She knew logically that Maleficent must have her reasons, but it still lodged some ire toward her. She felt poisoned by the negativity she was beginning to harbor for her lover, but she could not ignore her feelings.

She largely felt responsible for the upcoming war she was going to fight to win back her kingdom. She didn't even want her kingdom in the first place! It had been the bane of her life for four long years. Her kingdom took her away from Maleficent, Diaval, and the Moors. Despite all that, she knew that she was the only one really capable of maintaining the peace between the humans and the Moors.

_'Oh, what a mess!'_  she thought.  _'What happens when I die, and my successor turns out to be a greedy bastard? Can I really hope to sway people to not attacking the Moors? Can I really change generations of conflict in my lifetime? Or are we doomed to forever be at war? How can I fix this?'_

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she did not realize that the door swung open until she saw Maleficent standing in the doorway with a distant expression. She put down her cleaning rag and went to greet her faery, keeping some distance between them in case Maleficent was still angry with her; she expected Maleficent to still be upset over the most recent of their squabbles.

"Aurora…how was your day?"

She could tell by the intonation of Maleficent's voice that she was having trouble speaking the words. She smiled shyly as she looked up at Maleficent's sculpted face through her eyelashes. "I got the dining area cleaned."

Maleficent smirked. The way her lips quirked made Aurora's heart leap up into her throat. The faery stepped back briefly and reached outside for something before she brought a bundled cloth in front of her. "I…I brought you a gift."

Aurora blinked when she noticed how Maleficent's cheeks darkened. It was a subtle change, one that she would not have noticed in her youth, but she had learned over the years to watch for small changes in Maleficent's demeanor. She smiled reassuringly as she accepted the bundle, and she noticed that it was tied with care. She slowly undid the knots until she was able to peel away the cloth to reveal the hilt of a sword.

The pommel held a green jewel orb that reminded her of Maleficent's eyes. She ran her fingers over it with wonderment. She wrapped her fingers around the sword's black grip and found that it was the right size for her hand. She looked up excitedly at Maleficent, and upon receiving a nod of approval from her lover she unsheathed the blade. The blade was short and thin. From pommel to the point of the blade measured about the same as her arm.

"The blade is forged from a mineral found only in the Moors," Maleficent explained.

"It's beautiful…" Aurora beamed at Maleficent as she carefully sheathed her sword.

"I will begin teaching you tomorrow."

Aurora could barely contain her excitement at Maleficent's declaration. She carefully sheathed the blade and set the sword neatly against the wall before she tackled her lover. She squealed with delight as Maleficent lifted her up and spun her. As soon as she was back on her feet, her expression became more somber, as did Maleficent's. The weight of learning how to fight with a sword suddenly became very real to her. If she learned how to use the sword, she was going to have to kill. She might even end up killing men she knew...men she used to trust...

* * *

Maleficent watched as the excitement left Aurora. She frowned thoughtfully. Agreeing to teach Aurora how to use a sword meant that she was going to have to accept that she was going to impart on her beastie how to kill. It did not settle well with her, and based on what she was seeing in Aurora at that moment, she knew that her beastie was also struggling with the realization of what it meant to use a sword. Joining in the war to come meant that Aurora might end up killing men she knew; it didn't matter that they were now fighting for Lord Gregory.

"Beastie…" She drew her young lover into her arms and held her close. "Sh, I'm here… You don't have to do this, if you don't want to…" She was actually hoping that Aurora would back out, especially if fighting a war was going to have this affect on her. She did not want to see Aurora taint her soul in the way that taking the lives of countless soldiers would do. If they both survived, then she was going to be left picking up the shattered pieces left behind. She didn't know if she was the best-qualified one to do that for her beastie, but she might be the only one.

She swallowed the hard lump in her throat as those thoughts played out in her mind. It was not something she wanted to accept, but she would do whatever Aurora wanted her to. That was how everything had always been between them, at least to an extent, and that was never more true than it was in that instant. Maleficent didn't do much without first consulting Aurora, and her beastie never did anything without seeking Maleficent's counsel.

"I have to," Aurora murmured. She tugged at Maleficent's robes. "This is my fight…"

Maleficent's wings drooped, and her shoulders fell. She swallowed back the tears that threatened to break through. "You don't have to fight it alone," she declared fiercely. When Aurora looked up at her, her stomach dropped. Aurora's blue eyes were glistening; she was silently pleading, and Maleficent had several ideas of what it could be about, and she didn't like any of them. She held her beastie's chin firmly so that Aurora couldn't break eye contact. "I will be at your side, until the end."

"Why?" Aurora sounded churlish, which struck Maleficent as very odd. She blinked at the tone in Aurora's voice.

"Aurora? What's gotten into you?"

"Why do you always have to save me?"

Maleficent could see the tears threatening to break forth. She brushed them away gently, only to have Aurora slap her hand away. "Aurora—?" She remained still. She had been expecting an outburst like this for some time, but that could not prepare her for this, nothing could.

"I'm tired of having to rely on you all the time!"

"Is this what's got you so upset?" Maleficent was confused at the idea of Aurora not wanting any more of her help. She tried to backtrack, to figure out why Aurora was being so unlike herself so suddenly.

"So what if it is?" Aurora crossed her arms in a defensive stance.

Maleficent sighed as she tried to remain patient. She understood that her beastie was stressed, and the tension had been building constantly over the last few weeks. She was impressed that Aurora was capable of holding it together for so long, but now that she was finally snapping, Maleficent had no idea what to do. She knew it was a bad idea to try and hug her beastie in such a state from her own experiences when she was in a similar condition. She didn't know what she could say to calm her lover. She felt so helpless, and it frustrated her.

* * *

"What am I supposed to do if anything were to happen to you?" Aurora continued. She glared at Maleficent, trying desperately not to reveal the pain she was feeling at that moment. Her voice shook, and she hated herself for that. Now was not the time to be showing signs of weakness. She watched as her lover jolted back a pace.

Maleficent's wings came around her in a protective cocoon. Her eyes were cast down and away from Aurora. The reaction only served to rile her further.

"I'm not a child anymore, Maleficent!" she continued.

The way Maleficent looked up at her with a haunted expression made her falter momentarily. She didn't want to hurt Maleficent, but she also could not remain silent any longer. She began blubbering in her conflicted state of mind. She didn't even protest when Maleficent wrapped her strong arms around her and pulled her close. She returned the embrace as her sobs began breaking through her resolve to not cry in front of Maleficent.

"For the record, I know that you are not a child," Maleficent murmured once Aurora's sobs were reduced to pitiful hiccups.

"Why are you doing this?" Aurora whimpered sullenly as she leaned closer to her lover.

"What do you mean?"

"I just yelled at you…I insulted you, and you aren't lashing back…"

"Is that what you want?"

Aurora blinked. She didn't know what she wanted. All she knew was that she was frightened of how uncertain their future was, and she was angry with how collected Maleficent always acted around her when she  _knew_  that there was no way the faery could be so calm with everything going on. What she wanted was for Maleficent to let her in on some of her inner turmoil, to show at least that much trust. She looked up when she heard her lover sigh.

"You have every right to be frustrated, Aurora. But please, don't ask me to fight you about this. I will be at your side, always."

Maleficent sounded weary. She pulled away enough that Aurora could look into her haunted green eyes.

"But you're always so calm. Don't you feel  _anything_?" Aurora watched as Maleficent's expression darkened. It frightened her, but she tried to not let it show. The faery's silence infuriated her further; her own anger startled her. It was so much deeper than when she found out the truth about her heritage. She couldn't handle it; it was too much all at once.

* * *

Maleficent took several deep breaths while she gathered her raging thoughts. She couldn't believe that Aurora was asking her such a thing, but then again, she had retained an outward appearance of calmness in her beastie's presence, if only to protect the young woman she loved so deeply. She knew from experience how harmful revealing her emotions could be on those she cared most for. She remembered those dark days when she sat on her throne of thorns. She could not expose Aurora to that.

"Aurora…faeries feel things very deeply…so deep."

"But do you?"

She tried to ignore the accusative tone in her beastie's voice. Regardless, it cut deep…

_'Oh, how to explain?'_  She wondered what words would help her beastie to begin to understand the deep well of emotions she felt every second. Regardless of what approach she took, it wouldn't be easy. She would have to choose her words carefully. And she wasn't sure that Aurora would comprehend, even if she chose the right words. Still, she had to at least try…

"Aurora, I feel so much…I couldn't possibly convey everything to you."

"Is it because I'm human?"

Maleficent blinked. She really should not have been surprised by that response, but she was. "No."

"What then?"

"Faeries have to be careful with their emotions."

"Why?" Aurora interrupted.

Maleficent smirked slightly; she couldn't bring herself to become impatient at being interrupted. She was reminded of a simpler time for her beastie, when she would ask countless questions, and Maleficent answered them to the best of her ability.

"Do you remember how the Moors were when you first met me?" Maleficent waited for Aurora's nod before she continued, "And how they were at your coronation?" Again, her beastie nodded. "I am connected to the Moors. When I allowed darkness to consume me, the Moors were a gloomy place."

"But what does that have to do with anything?"

Maleficent's lips thinned. She tried to remain patient with her beastie, but she was finding it increasingly difficult at the moment. "Aurora, what good does me getting upset do either of us? Or Diaval?" she snapped, and she could feel the cottage and the surrounding clearing darken in her sudden anger.

Aurora stepped back a couple paces. She covered her agape mouth in an attempt to hide her shock, but Maleficent caught the way her face emoted. The young woman's eyes were wide with fright. She trembled as she continued to back away from Maleficent.

As quickly as it came, her ire left her. Her wings drooped and her shoulders hunched in both shame and exhaustion. She cast her eyes away from Aurora and refused to look up, even when her beastie squeaked her name.

"All I wanted was for you to let me in," Aurora whispered shakily.

Maleficent hid her pain behind a well-composed mask before she dared a glance up at Aurora. She regretted her sudden outburst, but at the same time, her beastie needed to understand  _why_  she had kept her emotions in check this whole time.

"Malle?" Aurora bit her bottom lip, and the affect such a simple expression had on the dark faery was intense. It pulled Maleficent in, and before she realized what was happening, she was embracing her beastie.

"Aurora…forgive me?"

* * *

Aurora wrapped her arms around Maleficent's waist and buried her face in the faery's shoulder. She felt her lover relax in her hold, and she panicked.

"Malle—!" she grunted as she fought to keep her lover standing.

"Hn?" Maleficent seemed to come to her senses because she was standing on her own in an instant.

Their gazes met, and it was like time slowed to a near stop. Aurora felt dizzy as she gazed into the depths of those mysterious eyes she loved so much. In that moment, she forgot their short-lived argument. All that mattered was the love and devotion she saw hidden in the faery's eyes. She knew that no matter what happened, Maleficent would be right there, that she wouldn't leave, even if Aurora asked her to. Maleficent was incapable of leaving her.

From the stories Diaval regaled her with in secret, Maleficent had tried, but as time progressed, she ended up saving Aurora's life again and again when her "aunts" proved incapable of such a task. And each time, according to Diaval, Maleficent found it increasingly more difficult to leave Aurora alone.

"Let's go upstairs," Aurora said as she tugged gently on Maleficent's robes. She was mildly surprised that Maleficent followed her without much effort.

As soon as they were upstairs, Aurora methodically helped Maleficent out of her robes before pulling her own off. She gently pulled Maleficent into their bed and snuggled close to her faery. The moment their skin made contact, she shivered, but she did not do anything about it. It simply wasn't the right time, not so soon after an argument that she felt was still unsettled. Still, she was going to take comfort in being close to Maleficent. She hummed contently when she felt strong arms wrap around her stomach and pull her close.

"I am sorry if I upset you, beastie," Maleficent muttered against her ear.

"I understand, Maleficent. I might not like it, but I understand…" She whimpered when she felt full lips pressed against her pulse point.

"Do you still want me to train you?"

"Yes…" Aurora hissed. She turned so that she could kiss Maleficent on the lips.

Maleficent chuckled dryly. "Then you'd better get your rest, love."

Aurora sighed, but she did not try to argue. She scooted closer, and as soon as Maleficent's wings draped over them, she closed her eyes.

_To be continued…_


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I would just like to thank Coco for the packets of smut dust. Those helped to get this chapter to come together. The stuff got everywhere… This chapter is mostly smut. If that is offensive, I recommend you skip ahead at the first break. If you clicked on this story for the smut, well, here you go. Have fun…**

**Chapter 13**

Aurora raised her sword to block Maleficent's blow that was aimed at her head. She panted as her muscles burned with the effort it took to lift her sword after several hours of training and then sparring that day. Sweat beaded her brow and drenched most of the rest of her body. Their blades clashed, and the sound carried throughout the small clearing they were using to spar.

Aurora's lessons had been going on for a full moon cycle, and she had the bruises and welts to show for it. Since her lessons started, Maleficent's blows were sure to hurt. Pain was a good teacher, if applied correctly, or at least that is what Maleficent told her from the beginning. After the first few beatings, Aurora became determined to avoid her lover striking her. Of course, Maleficent always treated her for any injuries at the end of each day, and Aurora did look forward to these moments they shared. Still, she would much rather avoid being injured altogether...

The way Maleficent's eyes glinted with excitement made Aurora nervous. Whenever her lover got that look during their sparring matches meant that whatever was about to happen, Aurora wouldn't like it.

She backed away quickly and thrust her sword at the opening Maleficent left at her left hip. Maleficent's grin widened, even as Aurora's blade nicked her.

Maleficent twisted away from Aurora's blade. She twirled her own blade and whacked Aurora in the gut with enough force to send the exiled queen to her knees.

Aurora groaned as she curled into a ball. She was glad that Maleficent was so adamant about using a blunt edged blade for their training sessions, specifically at times such as this.

"How bad did I hurt you?" Maleficent asked, concerned.

Aurora shot her lover a glare, but could not quite manage to say anything. Pain radiated throughout her entire body, but her stomach was the worst of it. Tears leaked from her eyes, despite the fact that she blinked them away.

"You overextended your thrust," Maleficent said as she knelt down and stroked Aurora's sweat-damp hair.

"Can we discuss this later?" Aurora begged in a groan.

Her pride was more wounded than anything else. In a month of training, she had barely touched Maleficent, while she received a beating day after day. She felt humiliated at how slow she progressed when Lord Gregory was amassing an army. Each time Maleficent beat her, she had always done something wrong: blocked when she should've rolled; parried when she should've blocked; thrust when she should've bludgeoned; held the grip too tight; held the grip too loose; no matter what she did, it wasn't right.

"Aurora?"

"Help me up?"

She winced as Maleficent lifted her up. She rested her head against her lover's shoulder and breathed in her earthly scent. She found it soothing, especially after such an exhausting training exercise.

"Tired, beastie?"

"Mmhm," she hummed tiredly. She barely opened her eyes. "I just had a certain dark faery try and hit me since lunch…"

"There was no trying about it," Maleficent replied. "I hit you. Perhaps I need to add another incentive?" She arched her brow.

"And what do you have in mind?"

* * *

 

"I can think of a few things." Maleficent lightly kissed Aurora's nose, making her giggle. The sound made Maleficent smile, and she cradled her beastie closer as she spotted the cottage.

Once inside the cottage, Maleficent settled Aurora in a chair closest to the fireplace and unbuckled their swords. She leaned the blades against the wall before returning to Aurora and placed a tender kiss on her forehead.

"I'm going to prepare a hot bath for you," she explained, and then went outside to retrieve the tub and fetch water from the well.

She hauled the water inside, one bucket at a time and steamed it over the fire before dumping it into the tub. As soon as the tub was filled with steaming water, she gently eased Aurora out of her clothes and tossed the dirty garments aside to be washed later.

She waited for Aurora to nod before she started to scrub away at the grime. Every day followed much of the same routine. She rose with the sun and did her morning patrol of the Moors. Sometimes, she held counsel with Balthazar and the other ents regarding the defenses of the Moors. She gathered breakfast for her and Aurora to bring back to the cottage. They ate together, and then Maleficent helped Aurora with her training. Before their daily sparring matches, she instructed Aurora on form and strength and stamina building exercises. Over the month, Maleficent had seen Aurora vastly improve. She had also seen a change in Aurora's demeanor; the queen was quieter and more serious than she had been in the past.

The change had disturbed Maleficent at first, but she also understood that it was rooted largely in the whole business with Lord Gregory. They also did not know if Diaval lived.

Maleficent tried not to think about her missing companion much. It simply hurt too much. She instead focused her energy on what was right in front of her, and that was getting Aurora prepared for war, which was no easy task.

It hurt her each time she hit Aurora. She didn't care if it was to give her beastie a better chance at survival. It still felt wrong…

"Malle…?"

Maleficent pushed her thoughts away. When she returned to the present, Aurora was looking into her eyes. "Yes, beastie?"

"When this is all over, and we've rescued Diaval and restored order to my kingdom, I want to abdicate the throne."

Maleficent hid her shock behind a blank mask. She considered Aurora's words while she paused in scrubbing her beastie's shoulders. "You've put some thought into this," she stated.

Aurora nodded slowly. "The men on my council make it almost impossible for me to be an effective queen."

"You could just get rid of them," Maleficent suggested. She wanted to take the words back, to be able to openly support Aurora’s decision. She wanted to be greedy, but she felt that she owed Aurora the chance to make that decision after having all options available.

Aurora shook her head. "That would be perceived as a tyrannical move, and make people try to take my life."

Maleficent's lip curled into a snarl at the very thought of anyone trying to assassinate her beastie. She blinked when she realized that Aurora was caressing her cheek. She leaned into the comforting touch and took a few breaths.

"Besides, I was never happy as queen," she continued with a soft smile. "I also had more freedom as a peasant than as queen."

Maleficent inched forward slowly. She kissed her beastie. It was slow and uncertain at first; she was still hesitant showing any sort of display of affection, even for her beastie. Even after years of rebuilding her life and recovering from the abuse she endured from Stefan, she could not completely get over that pain. But she would try to for her beastie.

The kiss deepened. She parted her mouth for Aurora's tongue. She sucked on the muscle lightly before releasing it. She nipped Aurora's bottom lip, and her lover gasped in a way that sent pleasant shivers down her spine. She cupped her beastie's face between her hands, as the kiss grew more eager before she hesitantly pulled back.

They panted and pressed their foreheads together. Maleficent licked her lips, still tasting Aurora. She wanted so much more. A need she felt so many times before that she was slowly becoming familiar with reared its head, demanding that she take things further. She shuddered and felt revolted by what her instincts were pressing her to do.

_'No!'_  she screamed inside her own head. She pulled back from Aurora.  _'Not until she says she's ready!'_

She was dizzy with desire. The way her body was reacting to Aurora frightened her. She had never felt that way before, for anyone; even Stefan could not make her feel this way. What frightened her most was that she might harm Aurora. She was also afraid of Aurora hurting her years down the road, though not to the same degree.

She growled. It was all because of Stefan and what he did to her. Even in death, he was tormenting her. She cursed him for what he was doing to her now.

She didn't know much about the human concept of heaven and hell, but if they did exist, she hoped that Stefan was in the deepest depths of hell, and even that was too nice of a punishment for him.

"Malle?" Aurora slowly climbed out of the tub. Her nudeness had never looked more appealing to Maleficent, who just stared, taking in every curve and dimple.

Her throat felt suddenly very dry. Sure, she had seen Aurora naked many times, especially recently. But she had never been so  _aroused_  when looking at her beastie.

"Malle? What's wrong?"

Maleficent swallowed the lump lodged in her throat. She blinked, trying desperately to think straight, but failing to do so.

"I—you—we—"

Aurora's giggle at Maleficent's inability to formulate words made the faery blush. Her wings drooped slightly in shame.

"Malle, love, don't be embarrassed."

"Who said anything about being embarrassed?" Maleficent sniffed indignantly.

Aurora crossed her arms across her chest. "Honestly, Maleficent, what's got you acting so cold all of a sudden? You were kissing me just a moment ago."

Maleficent glanced at Aurora through her eyelashes. She tried to deduce whether or not she should be upfront with her beastie. She would not push Aurora into anything she wasn't ready for. She had never felt so lost as to what she was supposed to do. When it came to her budding romance with her beastie, she was constantly at a complete loss as to what was acceptable to humans. She knew that it was unorthodox for humans to be in relationships with members of the same sex; a fact that Aurora seemed insistent to ignore, not that Maleficent cared what humans might think if they were to find out about them. Faeries did not have the same taboos as humans.

"I want you, Malle," Aurora said in barely more than a whisper. Maleficent wasn't sure if she heard correctly until Aurora's dripping body was pressed up against her.

She growled low in her throat as her hands flew to Aurora's waist, and she pushed Aurora back against the wall. She pinned her lover there and gazed down at her with an intense flame blazing in her eyes.

* * *

 

Aurora's heart thudded wildly as Maleficent held her against the wall. She tilted her head back, and her breath hitched in a gasp.

The things Maleficent was doing to her, words could not adequately describe. She could only drown in the bliss, and she did so willingly. The way Maleficent licked, sucked, kissed, and nipped at Aurora's flesh made her feel _alive_.

"Malle…" Aurora moaned.

Maleficent pulled back suddenly, much to Aurora's disappointment. Her eyes were filled with lust, but concern was also there, if Aurora looked hard enough. "Beastie…"

Aurora shivered at the way Maleficent said her pet name. She pressed closer to Maleficent and wiggled her hips. "Don't stop…" she whispered.

"Aurora…!" Maleficent groaned. Her hands went to Aurora's ass, and she gave the smooth cheeks a firm squeeze. She bit down into Aurora's neck, and the younger woman gasped in a mix of pain and pleasure. "We should go upstairs," she whispered huskily into Aurora's ear.

Aurora agreed. She took Maleficent's hand and led her to her room. With each step she took, nervousness took root in her gut. She was afraid that she wouldn't be good enough for Maleficent. It was a ridiculous fear, but she couldn't help it.

As soon as they kicked the door shut, Aurora fumbled with Maleficent's robes. She struggled to get the offending clothes off.

Maleficent chuckled lightly. She took Aurora's hands in her own and gently pulled them away from her robes. "Here, let me help," she murmured with a small smile. She slowly undid the knots holding her robes up.

Aurora got impatient and almost reached out to rip the fabric from Maleficent's body, but she stayed her hands at the stern look in Maleficent's eyes. She huffed indignantly and pouted.

"You're doing this on purpose," she sniffed.

Humor glinted in Maleficent's eyes. "Doing what on purpose?"

"Taking your time…"

Maleficent chortled. It was uncharacteristic of her to do so, but Aurora didn't care. The sound was beautiful; she wished her lover would laugh more often.

"When did you become such a fiend?"

"As soon as you started teasing me," Aurora replied with narrowed eyes.

Maleficent flashed her a wicked smile as she shimmied out of her robes. They fell in a pool at her feet. Her wings stretched out before furling back.

Aurora's mouth watered at the glorious sight her eyes were drinking in. She could hardly imagine a more beautiful view.

She stepped forward and boldly threw her arms around Maleficent's neck. When she went in for what she was intending to be a heated kiss, their noses collided painfully. She grunted, a little stunned.

"Are you alright?" Maleficent asked quickly. A hint of a smile touched her lips.

Aurora giggled. "I'm fine, Malle."

"Let me kiss it to make sure." And Maleficent kissed the bridge of Aurora's nose tenderly.

Aurora continued to giggle as Maleficent peppered her face with pecking kisses. They tickled, but she wasn't going to complain; she enjoyed the attention and the way Maleficent was able to relax in her company.

She pressed her hips against Maleficent. Her lover sighed, and Aurora found it lovely. She began moving in sensual circles until Maleficent's hands flew down to hold her still.

"You try my patience, beastie…"

"Then have your way with me," Aurora whispered in a challenge. She looked at Maleficent through hooded lashes, and she heard her lover growl.

Maleficent pushed her toward the bed; she went willingly. When she bounced on the mattress and had the faery sauntering over to her like a predator stalking her prey, her heart skipped a couple beats.

Panic welled up in her once again. She had no idea what to expect, and for the first time since she could remember, the idea of the unknown really frightened her. She instinctively covered herself.

"Beastie?"

The concern and hesitation Aurora saw in Maleficent's eyes as her lover hovered over her made her want to cry.

"Aurora… I can stop if that is what you wish."

"No!" Aurora said, almost too quickly. She cupped Maleficent's cheek and leaned up for their most tender kiss to date. "I want this."

"Are you sure?"

Aurora nodded. "I've just…never… I haven't…"

"Sh, I know, Aurora. I promise I won't do anything to hurt you. Just say the word, and everything stops."

Aurora gazed deep into Maleficent's eyes and saw the depth of the truth her lover left unspoken. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she smashed her lips against Maleficent's.

She hissed when she felt sharpened nails trail down from her collarbone to her stomach. The touch sent a path of pleasant Goosebumps along her flesh.

"Malle…!" she gasped.

* * *

 

Maleficent watched Aurora's reactions to everything she did. She was fully expecting her young lover to relinquish consent, and she was prepared to stop everything in that instant, but until then, she was going to move forward, slowly.

She leaned down to experimentally take Aurora's nipple into her mouth. When Aurora jumped and squeaked, she almost pulled away, but she began to suck eagerly when Aurora held her there.

"Malle…please…"

The sound of her begging sent jolts of pleasure down her spine. She released Aurora's nipple with a pop. She looked into Aurora's pleading blue eyes and smirked impishly. "You know, I rather like hearing you begging," she purred seductively.

"Please…"

Maleficent smirked impishly before she lowered her mouth to her beasty's neck. She nipped at the exposed flesh until Aurora groaned. She gently kissed the bruising skin when she felt her beasty gripping her horns. Her hand trailed down the valley between Aurora's breasts and her stomach, and she stopped just short of her goal.

"Gn! Malle…!" Aurora moaned as she lifted her hips off the bed.

"Patience, beastie," Maleficent purred. She looked down at Aurora's face, which was scrunched up in a mix of pleasure and exasperation. They way her beastie bit her lower lip made her thrust her hips forward to grind against Aurora.

Ecstasy traveled down her spine on contact. She continued to grind her hips against Aurora. The act got her lover to utter the most scandalous sounds to ever grace her ears, and she reveled in it. She slowly picked up speed and began rotating her hips.

Aurora's hands flew to where Maleficent's wings met her back. Her nails dug into flesh, and she tried to meet Maleficent's rhythm, but it quickly became impossible to keep up. Her ankles hooked around her lover.

Her toes curled as Maleficent brought her closer to that euphoric feeling she wanted so badly. Just as she tilted her head back and let out her loudest moan yet, Maleficent pulled away. Now beyond frustrated, she glared up at her mischievous lover. "Why'd you stop?" she demanded in a whine.

Maleficent kissed her brow gently. "I want to savor the moment."

Aurora groaned in annoyance. "Malle…!  _Please_ …!"

"Sh…" Maleficent caressed her cheek. "Are you sure you want to continue?"

Aurora's impatience flared. She gripped Maleficent's horns and made her lover look into her eyes. "Yes," she insisted, almost impatiently. "Malle, I  _want_  this; I want  _you_."

She gasped when she felt nimble fingers attack her nether regions. Her hips shot up, but Maleficent held her firmly down.

* * *

 

Later that evening, Maleficent and her beastie held each other; their limbs were a tangled mess. Maleficent listened to Aurora's soft snores. She lightly stroked her lover's blonde locks and pulled her closer.

"Malle…"

She glanced down and blinked. Aurora was still sleeping soundly. She smiled softly.

"Love you…"

"I love you too, beastie." She planted a kiss on her beastie's brow before she drew her wings around them and fell into the most contented sleep she had experienced in over twenty long years.

* * *

 

He sighed heavily as yet another report from his generals passed over his desk. Every able-bodied man had been collected, and they were now being trained and fitted with armor and weapons. He frowned. They were not moving fast enough. He wanted to take the Moors sooner rather than later. He knew that was where Aurora and her witch were hiding, and he could not risk the exiled queen challenging his illegitimate claim to the throne.

He glared at the strained caw that came from the cage hanging from the ceiling. His lips curled up into an unpleasant sneer as he leered at the raven.

"Soon, that witch and that meddlesome woman will be out of my way,” he told the raven.

His expression soured when a knock rapped on the door. He turned and bade the person to enter.

It was his highest general, a seasoned soldier who served under King Stefan. His auburn hair was streaked with silver. His lined face had a couple scars; one was across the bridge of his hooked nose, and the other was down his right eye. An eye patch covered his useless eye. He bowed. “King Gregory. You wished to see me, Your Highness?” He glanced up expectantly.

“Yes,” Gregory replied. He grabbed a scroll from his table. “I want you to send your most trustworthy men to deliver a message.”

“It will be done.”

“See to it that it is; now leave me.”

Gregory thrust the scroll into his general’s hands and watched the old soldier march out of the chamber. He ran his hand over his grizzled face. The past month had been long. Every few days, he had to execute someone for speaking against him; he could not afford dissent to remove him from the throne.

He slammed his fist against the table when the raven’s caws got insistent. It wasn’t the raven that upset him so much as the fact that it should be his son on the throne, not him. If that witch had not murdered his son in cold blood, then William could have married Aurora, and that would leave Gregory to manipulate things from the shadows. He grimaced sourly. That could not be helped now. What was done was done. But that also left the kingdom heirless.

A second knock disturbed him from his thoughts. “Enter.”

The door opened to reveal a burly guard and a frightened looking girl. The girl is what grabbed his attention. She was a slim thing, but she had curves. Her brunette hair was done in a loose bun with ringlets for bangs. She wore a simplistic burgundy dress. Her wide eyes were searching the chamber; she was probably searching for a way out.

“Shae,” he greeted with false pleasantness. He turned to the sentinel. “Leave us.”

_To be continued…_

 


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: I apologize for the delay. My life is starting to pick up pace, at least temporarily.**

**Chapter 14**

When Aurora woke the following morning, she was pleasantly surprised to find Maleficent still there. She had honestly expected to find herself alone when she woke, and she was glad that she wasn't. She smiled and relaxed to enjoy the moment, for times like these rarely occurred between them, not with the war preparations. She frowned at the thought of the war.

She had no idea how to fight a war. These thoughts, and many others that were equally unpleasant, had plagued her mind many times over the last month, and she still did not get anywhere. She wanted to figure out a way to get through this war without any loss of life, but that was impossible. She knew that, but she still wanted to solve this impossible puzzle. She screamed internally so she didn't wake Maleficent. Everything was becoming too much for her to handle, and she didn't want to burden Maleficent any further.

"Beastie?" Maleficent murmured drowsily.

Aurora looked up. She forced a strained smile and kissed her lover on the lips. "Good morning, Malle."

"It seems I have slept in," Maleficent said.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in years, beastie." She stroked Aurora's cheek before she kissed her again.

Aurora smiled. She forgot about the thoughts that plagued her mind, at least for the moment. "I'm glad." She laughed like she did in the days of her youth.

Maleficent smiled as well. The seemingly small gesture was all the light Aurora needed in her world. It reminded her that there was still hope that everything would work out for them, and at that moment, she needed to hold onto whatever hope she could.

"I should go," Maleficent said stiffly.

Aurora frowned. She didn't want the moment, which she thought perfect, to come to an end. She twisted so that she could hug Maleficent. "Do you have to?"

Maleficent chuckled and wrapped her arms securely around Aurora. "I'll have breakfast when I return, my sweet beastie."

"I wish I could go with you."

Aurora leaned into Maleficent's touch when she caressed her cheek. She closed her eyes when the faery kissed her forehead. Her eyes remained closed for several minutes after Maleficent left their bed. In the absence of her lover, she felt chilled. She pulled her quilt around herself. When she reopened her eyes, Maleficent was gone. She started sobbing before she could help herself.

It was a while before she was reduced to the occasional hiccup and shaky breath, but once she regained control of herself, she got dressed in her training leathers. Each movement was measured to not cause pain from her bruises and welts that were added from the previous day's training exercise, as well as their more recent nocturnal activities. Maleficent had left her feeling sore, but not necessarily in a bad way. The memory brought a small smile to her face; she wondered if she made Maleficent feel the same way.

She padded down the stairs to the dining area, where Maleficent had left their swords the previous afternoon. She took hers and unsheathed it with a controlled flick of her wrist. She inspected the blade for any knicks, just as Maleficent had taught her. When she found that the blade was in good order, she proceeded to clean it. At the very least, the task kept her busy and limited her ability to worry about Maleficent as much.

It was always like this, every time the faery left for her morning patrol. While Aurora no longer brought it up, she still worried that one of Lord Gregory's soldiers would catch her, and she wouldn't know about it until it was too late. She knew that it was pointless bringing up her concerns because every time she did, Maleficent became her old stony self; it was like talking to a wall, and so Aurora bore her pain in silence.

Aurora nearly dropped her sword when she heard the beating of wings coming from outside. Her heart skipped a beat. Something wasn't right. Maleficent always walked back to the cottage.

She took her sword and ran outside. All the blood rushed out of her face at the sight that met her eyes. About fifty soldiers were marching toward the cottage.

_'No!'_  she thought in her panic. She searched for their banner, and her heart sank. The escutcheon was azure, with a gules chevron. The animal on the banner was a bear.

"Aurora!"

She looked up at the screech. Within seconds, Maleficent landed next to her.

"Maleficent!" She flung herself into her lover's waiting arms for a bone-crushing embrace. She didn't care that she couldn't breathe. Right now, she needed reassurance that Maleficent was right there. She buried her face into Maleficent's breasts.

"Aurora—hold on tight."

She did as she was told. She squeaked when she felt Maleficent push off from the ground and race toward the sky. Normally, she would be excited for the chance to fly with Maleficent, but this was the first time she felt dread instead of the refreshing sensation of the wind whipping at her face.

Lord Gregory's soldiers had found them... They didn't have anywhere else to run to. This was it. She wasn't ready... Her grip around Maleficent's neck tightened, and she let out a choked sob. "I don't want to die..."

"I won't let them hurt you, Aurora," Maleficent promised.

Instead of being comforted by the oath, Aurora's heart clenched. She didn't want to know what Maleficent was willing to do in order to keep her safe, but she knew that it wasn't going to be pretty. But what she dreaded most of all was the thought of losing her. Her fingers tangled in Maleficent's silky hair.

* * *

Maleficent flapped her wings for all they were worth. She  _had_  to get as high into the air as possible. Her strong arms held Aurora close. As soon as she got outside the range of the archers, having dodged several arrows in her ascent, she raced toward the Moors. It was harder with Aurora, and she was slowed down due to carrying extra weight, but it still didn't take her long to get to the border of the Moors.

As soon as she landed, she gently set Aurora back to her feet. "Aurora?" She watched for the subtlest of signs of any change in her lover's demeanor. What she saw was a horror stricken face: pale skin, furrowed eyebrows, wide eyes that didn't seem to comprehend anything in the present, and a deep-set frown. Every other beat, there was a slight twitch, but nothing else to indicate what Aurora was feeling or thinking in that moment.

"Aurora?" she repeated, more firmly this time. She even shook her shoulders a bit to try to get a response.

"Huh?"

"Did you recognize those men?" Maleficent demanded.

Aurora bit her bottom lip. "They're carrying Lord Gregory's standard…"

Maleficent snarled a curse, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Aurora, I want you to run to my Rowan."

"What? No! If you're fighting, then so am I!"

"Don't argue with me, Aurora!" Maleficent snapped. Her wings spread in a threatening display. Green magic swirled around her hands.

"I won't leave you!" Aurora cried.

"We don't have time for this! Leave, now!"

"Not without you!"

"Aurora!" Maleficent grabbed her, a little rougher than she had intended, and kissed her deeply on the lips. "I love you, beastie. But I can't fight while I'm worried about whether or not you're safe. I  _need_  you to go to the Rowan, where I know you'll be safe."

* * *

Aurora couldn't believe that Maleficent was attempting to dismiss her. Anger flooded through her. "And leave you alone to face Lord Gregory's soldiers? I think not!" She looked directly into Maleficent's blazing green eyes without flinching back. "I'm staying, one way or another."

"Please…Aurora…"

"We're in this together, Maleficent. You said that."

"You're not—" Maleficent did not get the chance to finish whatever she had been about to say as an arrow whizzed past them. The faery grabbed Aurora and twirled them away from a second arrow.

Aurora's heart raced. This was it. She was about to face her first actual battle. Instead of excitement she had heard told from young nobles who regaled her with tales of adventure and excitement in an attempt to woo her, she felt dread.

"Witch of the Moors!"

Aurora turned with Maleficent to face the general who addressed the Protector. She glared at him for referring to her as such, but she remained still. She seethed at him, but she had a feeling that it was nothing compared to Maleficent. Her lover was just much better than her at hiding her emotions. She took the small reprieve to calculate the amount of troops they were up against; it didn't look promising. "Malle…"

"You and the pretender queen have one last chance to surrender peacefully!"

Aurora shared a panicked glance with Maleficent. She shook her head. She had no intention of going peacefully, not after the last time, and she was fairly certain that Maleficent felt the same way. If she was going to die, she was going to do so fighting to protect what she loved. Her grip on her sword tightened in preparation for what she knew was coming.

"Be brave, Aurora," Maleficent murmured in her ear. Her voice was strained, likely as a result of Aurora defying her. The younger of the two lovers was going to pay for that, later.

"I love you, Maleficent," Aurora replied through the single tear that trailed down her cheek. They shared a deep look that conveyed everything they either couldn't or wouldn't say.

"Archers!"

Aurora grimaced. She watched helplessly as the archers knocked their arrows and aimed at her and Maleficent. She held her sword in a defensive stance, but knew that it would do no good to fend off a volley of arrows.

Just before the archers could release their arrows, Maleficent lunged into the air and beat her powerful wings down on them. The gusts sent the soldiers to their backs. Even Aurora stumbled a little.

When she got back to her feet, the ents were marching past her. After a moment of watching in wonder, she ran with them and echoed their cries.

Soon, all around her was chaos. Soldiers cried out when the tree spirits pummeled them. The ents let out horrific cries as the soldiers fought back just as viciously.

Aurora blocked, parried, and stabbed any soldier who got within reach. She quickly lost track of Maleficent, save for hearing high-pitched cries off in the distance. All she knew was that her lover was still fighting, and that was all that mattered to her. She cringed each time she stabbed a man, and his blood splattered over her face.

The skirmish seemed to go on forever. For every soldier that fell, two more seemed to take his place. That left Aurora feeling quite drained, even early on. When she heard the horn to retreat, she fell to her knees in a pool of blood. Her mind was blank, and her body on fire. She couldn't even bring herself to sob for the lives she took.

* * *

"Aurora!" Maleficent landed near her lover. Her left wing was broken, and it twitched and throbbed painfully. That was the worst of the damage done to her. There were a few cuts from iron blades, but those would soon heal. She limped over to Aurora.

The hallow glaze in Aurora's eyes made her hesitate momentarily. She took a minute to observe what was in front of her. Aurora's face was splattered with the blood of those she had killed. There were some obvious cuts all over her body, but none of them appeared that deep. She was also sitting in a pool of blood with dead soldiers lying all around her.

"Beastie…" Maleficent slowly inched toward her in the hopes that she didn't startle her. She held her hands up in a placating gesture. When she got close enough to Aurora, she knelt next to her lover and placed her hands on her shoulders before bringing her in for what was meant to be a comforting embrace. What shocked her was the fact that Aurora went stiff. She pulled back. "Aurora?"

"You're hurt…" Aurora murmured.

Maleficent's heart clenched painfully. Even after everything, her beastie was more concerned with others than herself. Her eyes softened, and she reached out to cup her beastie's cheek. "Come, let's get washed up…" She helped Aurora to her feet.

"Balthazar, see to the bodies of the dead?" she asked as she turned to the sentry. He inclined his head before she led Aurora away from the battlefield.

Maleficent led Aurora back to the cottage, and she was relieved to find it unmolested. She had expected the soldiers to burn it to the ground, but perhaps they were unaware that was where she and Aurora were hiding. She caught her beastie each time she stumbled. Once inside, she settled Aurora in the nearest chair to the fireplace. She gently pried Aurora's fingers off the grip of her sword and set it aside. She gripped her beastie's chin, not roughly, but firm enough that she could make Aurora look into her eyes.

"Aurora?"

Aurora's eyes flashed with recognition, but it was gone as quickly as it came. Her once vibrant blue eyes were now a pale grey, and that worried Maleficent.

"Aurora, say something…please." For the first time since Maleficent could remember, pleading didn't leave a foul taste in her mouth. She simply wanted Aurora to say something, anything. If she could just get Aurora talking, maybe she could figure out what to do.

"I killed them…" Aurora whispered.

Maleficent frowned. She could not think of what she could possibly say in this situation, so she resorted to hugging her beastie close and shushed her as the sobs broke through. "You fought bravely," she finally murmured.

It was a long while before Aurora succumbed to her exhaustion. Maleficent continued to hold her close, simply thankful that she didn't have to bury her beastie. She wept at the thought of ever losing Aurora, even though she knew that there was a distinct possibility of that happening, especially with this war.

* * *

When Aurora returned to full consciousness, Maleficent was sobbing. She furrowed her eyebrows.

_'That's odd,'_  she thought.  _'Maleficent never cries.'_

She shifted so that she could run her thumb over the trail of tears running down Maleficent's cheeks. "Malle…?"

"Let's get you cleaned up," Maleficent murmured. She smiled, but Aurora could tell that it was strained. Still, she nodded numbly, not wanting to bring it up and potentially start an argument. She was far too exhausted to fight anymore.

She sat quietly while Maleficent dragged in the water and heated it over the fire. She barely registered what was happening around her; she was still lost in her own thoughts and reliving the battle.

"Aurora…?"

She tilted her head to gaze at Maleficent. Upon her lover's coaxing, she stood and allowed the faery to remove her soiled leathers. She followed Maleficent to the tub, but she felt that she was not in control of her body.

The water was hot. It should've soothed her sore muscles, but instead it left her feeling more hallow.

She scooted over to allow Maleficent to join her and leaned her head against her shoulder and closed her eyes.

* * *

Maleficent wrapped her arms around Aurora and hummed softly while her beastie whimpered. She held her close until the water started to go cold. At that point, she gently ran the washrag over Aurora's skin. She hesitated whenever Aurora hissed because she touched one of her many cuts, but slowly continued. She was sure to clean every one of Aurora's new wounds. With each one she cleaned, rage continued to boil just under the surface of her self-control. Her anger would fuel her for when she finally could face Lord Gregory in Aurora's name and slowly crush the life out of him, for he would not receive the quick death his son had.

"Do you want to retire to our bed, beastie?" she asked in an attempt to distract her from such thoughts.

"Mmhm…"

Her eyes softened as she lifted Aurora out of the tub. She shifted so that she could cradle her and carried her up the stairs and to their bed.

She held Aurora through the night. She did not sleep much because every time Aurora drifted off, she freaked out, and Maleficent had to calm her down. The flailing and punching aggravated her broken wing, but she said nothing about it. She bore the pain because she knew that Aurora would never willingly hurt her, and she didn't want Aurora to feel guilty.

"Oh, Aurora…" she murmured as she silently wept.

_To be continued…_


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: First off, I would like to apologize for the wait on this chapter. I've been in a haze of smut dust thanks to the near endless supply of it going around over on Tumblr. Secondly, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to those of you who have stuck with me this far. Out of all the fandoms I have traveled through, the Malora fandom is by far the best. Many of the conversations we have over on Tumblr crack me up and brighten up my days. This chapter is really for you guys.**

**Chapter 15**

"Hold still, Maleficent!" Knotgrass squeaked snappishly.

Maleficent shot the pixie an impatient glare. Her broken wing shied away from Knotgrass's touch. She refused to speak, afraid that if she did, she would appear weak, and that was simply unacceptable. She had appearances to maintain, after all.

She was sitting next to the blazing fire while Knotgrass tended to her wounds. Being away from Aurora, even if her beastie was only a room away, had her on edge. Flittle and Thistlewit were with Aurora, tending to her wounds from the previous day's skirmish. It worried Maleficent that she barely heard a peep from the bedroom.

"Oh, would you quit fretting?"

Maleficent huffed with irritation. She remained calm; at least she retained the outward appearance of composure while Knotgrass finished tending to her wing. As soon as the pixie was finished, she stretched her wings and got up to return to Aurora.

"I would leave her be," Knotgrass advised hesitantly. "At least for now."

Maleficent clenched her jaw. She shot an icy glare at the pixie; it was enough to make Knotgrass back down. She continued marching to the bedroom without another glance back.

What she saw when she opened the door stunned her, at least momentarily. Flittle tumbled through the air, and instead of hitting the door, she collided with Maleficent.

"Aurora! That wasn't very nice!" Thistlewit squeaked, horrified.

If circumstances were different, Maleficent would have been amused. Instead she frowned, and her eyes flashed dangerously. Her nostrils flared.

"Out! Both of you!"

Apparently, they didn't need to be told twice. Once she was alone with Aurora, she rushed in to hold the obviously distraught woman down. She endured the slaps and punches with a pained grimace.

"Beastie…"

* * *

Aurora's eyes widened when she realized what she had just done. She tried pushing away from Maleficent, but the faery's grip was firm. That left her to resort to sobbing pitiful apologies.

"Sh… It's alright, beastie."

Aurora tugged at Maleficent's robes. "I can't forget their faces, Malle…" she whimpered. "They won't leave me alone…"

She felt Maleficent stiffen. She pulled away enough to look at the dark faery with bleary eyes. She sniffled in an attempt to retain the sense of dignity she knew Maleficent would respect. She bit her bottom lip in order to keep her sobs at bay.

"I wish I could say that they'll fade with time," Maleficent murmured after a tense moment. She stroked Aurora's hair, and for the first time that Aurora could remember, the feeling of Maleficent's fingers running through her hair didn't comfort her. She was repulsed by it. "But they won't. In time, you'll learn to cope…"

"I don't want to cope!" Aurora cried. She whimpered when she felt Maleficent's grip tighten.

"Aurora, listen to me. When it comes between your life and someone else's, I want you to choose your own." Aurora felt her bury her nose in her hair. "You're all I have left…"

Aurora held back the oncoming tears. Maleficent was right. With Diaval gone, the faery had no one else, at least no one she was comfortable to admit to openly. She reached up to grip Maleficent's horns. "Make me feel alive, Malle… Please…"

"If that is what you wish," Maleficent breathed.

Aurora gasped when she felt Maleficent squeeze her breasts. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, willingly drowning in the sensation of Maleficent's rougher fondles.

She whined when she felt pointed teeth scrape against her neck, just at her pulse point. Her fingers tangled in Maleficent's hair as the pressure of the bite increased in intensity. "Gn! Malle…!"

The only response she got was Maleficent repositioning her on her back and all but tearing the robes off both their bodies. It wasn't long before Maleficent settled between Aurora's legs.

Aurora gazed into Maleficent's eyes with apprehension about what would come next. She fisted the bedding when Maleficent reached up and toyed with one of her nipples. The faery used her other hand to stroke Aurora's most intimate spot.

She lost all control at that point. She squirmed and moaned. Her heart skipped a beat every time Maleficent hit one spot in particular; her pleasure intensified.

"Malle…!" She gripped Maleficent's horns the moment she felt something wet trail up the slit of her sex. It took her a moment to realize that what she was feeling was Maleficent's tongue. Dots lined her already blurry vision as she reached higher and higher to the apex of her pleasure. Her throat felt raw by the time she released all her built up tension.

Her body was limp when Maleficent slowed to a stop. She felt more sated than she thought possible, and she snuggled close to her lover when Maleficent crawled back up to her.

"Feel better?" Maleficent purred as she wrapped her arms around Aurora and pulled her close.

"Mmhm…" Aurora hummed in response. She rested her head against Maleficent's shoulder and sunk ever closer to slumber.

* * *

Maleficent smiled softly as Aurora started snoring. She trailed her fingers lightly over the scars on her beastie's back, chuckling softly when the young woman in her arms made a contented noise in the back of her throat. She observed Aurora's face. In sleep, she could be fooled into thinking that Aurora was still innocent. That was a false assumption; even though she wished more than most things she caught herself wishing on that Aurora could have remained pure just a little while longer. Now, she was troubled that there was hardly a trace of it left. She was watching as her beastie slipped further into darkness, and she feared there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She contemplated trying to convince Aurora to never fight again. The way her beastie reacted after killing a few soldiers still disturbed her. She knew that Aurora still had a long way to go before she could truly move on from an experience like that, and she wasn't sure if they had the time. She also remembered how frightened she was that she was at the mere thought of losing Aurora, and she did not want to ever let that come to pass.

She would have to come up with a compelling argument, one that Aurora would not argue. She huffed mentally. Aurora would argue with her over just about anything these days. She certainly was no longer that innocent flower child she met in the woods. Back then; it was unheard of for Aurora to dispute anything. Now it seemed that Aurora challenged anything and everything she could.

Maleficent smiled softly. She admired her beastie's spunk, but she didn't want to see Aurora go through any more heartache. She wanted to protect Aurora from the trials of commanding a war; she just wanted to protect her beastie in general, but she knew from experience how impossible the task was. That did not keep her from trying though. No, she would continue trying, even at her own expense.

Aurora's whimpering took her out of her mind. She gently stroked her beastie's back while she made soft shushing noises until Aurora calmed down.

It pained her to think that Aurora was having nightmares, even though this was not a new occurrence. It was just another reason in her ever-growing list of why she hated humans, present company notwithstanding.

"Maleficent…"

She blinked and glanced down. Aurora's eyes met hers, and she pulled her beastie closer into her protective embrace. She did not prod Aurora for an explanation, knowing that she would talk when she was ready.

"I acted like a bitch today, didn't I?"

"Beastie…given the circumstances, you are not to be blamed," Maleficent replied, kissing the top of Aurora's head. "And I am certainly in no place to judge you…"

Aurora let out a long sigh. Her fingers were lightly brushing against Maleficent's secondary feathers.

Maleficent twitched subconsciously at the touch. She stiffened, but she kept her mouth shut. She knew that she would probably never be completely comfortable having someone else touching her wings, but she also understood that Aurora would never seek to harm her.

"Beastie…" Maleficent murmured. She pressed her forehead against Aurora's and released a shaky breath.

"Malle…?" Aurora pulled her hand away quickly. "Did I—"

"No. Not really."

"I'm sorry…"

Maleficent cringed and kicked herself mentally for allowing her own discomfort to show when Aurora was the one who needed comforting. She shifted so that Aurora's back was pressed against her chest, and she wrapped her arms around Aurora's stomach.

"You have nothing to apologize for, beastie."

"But I made you uncomfortable…"

She took a moment to appreciate the brief surprise she felt at Aurora's concern. She wondered for a fleeting moment if the fact that Aurora was so caring came from being raised by a trio of pixies rather than her human parents. She assumed that if Stefan was left to raise her that she would have turned out just as greedy as the rest of the humans.

_'Perhaps humans can be cured of their greed,'_  she thought. It was possible. All she had to do was look at Aurora to know that. Then again, her beastie might be the exception to the rule that she had to learn the hard way.

"You were simply seeking comfort," she replied heavily.

* * *

Aurora made a noncommittal noise. She said nothing, which both surprised and worried Maleficent. Normally, she was talkative to the point of sometimes bringing on a headache for Maleficent.

"Beastie?"

"Hm?"

"What's wrong?"

Aurora cringed at the question. She didn't want to answer it because it would do more harm than good. She didn't want Maleficent to be burdened for her sake. Perhaps it was her own stubbornness that made her feel this way, but she also knew that her lover was under more than enough stress, and she didn't want to add to it.

"Aurora?"

She took a deep breath. "I don't want my own comfort to come at your expense, Malle…"

She felt Maleficent's hold tighten, and she regretted her words almost immediately. She knew that Maleficent would always put her needs first, and it hurt. She wanted to be the one to comfort Maleficent for once.

"Beastie…" That single word held so much in it, most of it impossible to convey with words. Aurora knew that Maleficent's life revolved around her, and the way the faery said her pet name conveyed that simple and yet complex truth. Maleficent was also expressing that she would always be there for Aurora.

Aurora's eyes widened when she felt Maleficent's soft lips covering hers. She returned the kiss, trying to communicate the depth of her love for the damaged woman next to her.

She twisted so that she faced Maleficent, temporarily breaking off the kiss. When she leaned back in for a second kiss, she grinned as slender fingers trailed along her lower back and thighs. She took Maleficent's hands in her own and brought them above Maleficent's head, where she pinned them.

"Beastie…?" Maleficent's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Aurora found the expression one of the cutest things she had ever seen on Maleficent's face. Maleficent struggled briefly until Aurora nuzzled her neck and bit down. She whimpered and groaned. Her hips shot up, and she almost succeeded in bucking Aurora off her. "You beast…!" she growled without sounding overtly upset. In fact, if Aurora knew any better, she would have said that Maleficent was enjoying what she was doing.

"It's your turn, Malle," she whispered before she resumed nipping and kissing along Maleficent's neck.

Aurora slowly made her way down to Maleficent's prominent collarbone. She released her lover's wrists, and was mildly surprised that she didn't have to tell Maleficent not to move them. She scraped her teeth along Maleficent's flesh. The lustful noises and heavy breathing coming from her lover sent pleasant shivers down her spine. Her confidence that she was doing something right was boosted.

She kneaded Maleficent's breasts before popping one nipple in her mouth and twisting the other with her thumb and forefinger. She got more eager when she felt long fingers tangle in her hair. She didn't even get upset over the fact that Maleficent moved her hands without her permission. All she knew was that it was an obvious sign that she was giving her lover at least a fraction of the pleasure she had already received.

Aurora switched her treatment. Her free hand traveled lower at what she imagined was an agonizingly slow pace, and her suspicions were confirmed when she heard Maleficent breathe, "Please," repeatedly. She bit down and tugged lightly on Maleficent's nipple, and Maleficent tugged on her hair until she let go with a gasp.

"You little beast," Maleficent growled, flipping them so that she was on top. She immediately leaned down for a searing kiss.

Aurora giggled with false innocence as soon as they broke the kiss. She wrapped her legs around Maleficent's waist and tried to flip them back to their original position, but she found that she didn't have the right leverage. "Malle…" she groaned.

"It is about time you learned that I don't play fair," Maleficent whispered in her ear as she inserted her nimble fingers into Aurora's moist sex. "Mmm," she purred, making Aurora clench up automatically.

"God, Maleficent!" Aurora dug her nails into Maleficent's back, right between her lover's fully splayed wings. It did not take long for Maleficent to work her to a peak, and Aurora raked her nails down Maleficent's back in response.

"Maleficent…please…"

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head when Maleficent's fingers curled roughly. Her body tensed up before she released her orgasm.

"Malle…"

"Sh…" Maleficent kissed her gently; first her lips, then each eyelid before her forehead. "Relax, beastie…"

Aurora hummed pleasantly as Maleficent pulled her close. She opened her eyes after a long moment. "One of these days, you're going to have to let me return the favor," she said, catching Maleficent's eyes.

"Do I need to give you another lesson in not playing fair?" Maleficent hummed. Aurora barely noticed it, but there was a slight smirk and an air of smugness hanging off the faery. Aurora smacked her shoulder playfully.

"Are you always going to be this difficult?" Aurora quipped with narrowed eyes.

"You're the difficult one, beastie," Maleficent remarked.

"Give me one example."

Aurora couldn't help but grin triumphantly at Maleficent's arched brow. It was forced, but she decided that she was going to make an effort for Maleficent. If nothing else, she didn't want Maleficent to worry about her any more than absolutely necessary.

"When you were a child, you had no regard for your own life," Maleficent sniffed. "I ended up having to save you on multiple occasions."

Aurora frowned thoughtfully. "You know, I've always wondered about that. You cursed me. Why didn't you just let me die and be done with it?" She tried to keep her voice as neutral as she could, even going so far as to sound curious rather than accusatory. The last thing she wanted was to start a fight with Maleficent, but she also wanted to know the truth.

She watched, apprehension pumping through her as she waited for how Maleficent was going to react. Regret swarmed her thoughts as soon as she realized what she said.

Maleficent's expression darkened. Sorrow, regret, and so much more crossed her face. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears. Her mouth tightened into a grimace. She was silent for a long while, before she said, almost too quietly for Aurora to hear, "Because I used you to get back at your father…"

"Maleficent?" Aurora murmured hesitantly. She slowly reached out to caress her lover's cheek, but Maleficent jerked away. She dropped her hand.

"You were his betrayal personified. I thought that the best way to get back at him was to ensure that you survived until your sixteenth birthday. I didn't plan on loving you, but you carved your way into my heart before I realized it."

"Malle…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dig up painful memories." Aurora was surprised when Maleficent held her tightly. She released the breath she didn't realize she was holding in and rested her head against Maleficent's breast. She watched as Maleficent took her right hand and brought it to her lips to gently kiss her forefinger. She furrowed her eyebrows until she realized that was the finger she pricked on the spindle on the eve of her sixteenth birthday. She snaked her arms around Maleficent and whimpered as she squeezed.

All her problems seemed small compared to everything Maleficent went through. She suddenly felt weak for how she reacted after the skirmish; Maleficent would never react that way, or so she thought. She vowed that the next time she fought; she would not allow her actions to haunt her. She was going to do everything she could to protect her faery lover, and cowering from battle was not the way to do it. With those thoughts, she slipped into a deep, dreamless slumber.

_To be continued…_


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**A/N: I do apologize for the delay. Real life happened. I would also like to take this moment to announce that I will also be working on a short seven chapter Malora AU because of a prompt I got from Merikiwi. More details on that will be coming out on my Tumblr as soon as I get the first chapter drafted up.**

Aurora groaned loudly and threw her arms up in frustration. Her eyes were narrowed at Maleficent, who was towering over her. She met Maleficent's steely glare with one of her own; she refused to back down.

"You'll get yourself killed," Maleficent seethed. Her feathers bristled and her peculiar eyes flashed severely.

"I'm willing to take that risk!" Aurora snapped back. She stepped closer to the faery in a show of tenacity.

"I'm not willing to risk your life for your kingdom!"

"I can't let you shoulder this fight on your own!"

"I can't lose you!"

"You won't!" Aurora's eyes brimmed with tears. She tried to blink them away, to not show weakness, but that just made them fall down her cheeks despite her best efforts. She jerked away from Maleficent when the faery stepped toward her. "This is my fight too, Maleficent!"

"It's going to get far worse than what you saw the other day…" It sounded as though Maleficent was struggling to not choke on her own words.

Her voice cracked with sorrow and regret. It reminded Aurora of the day she discovered Maleficent's true identity, that her faery godmother wasn't her godmother at all, but the faery who cursed her to sleep forever. She cringed at the memory and pushed it away.

"I'm not some helpless damsel," Aurora snapped back. "I'll defend what's mine."

"The Moors do not belong to you!"

Aurora reeled back at Maleficent's words. She gaped in disbelief. She could not understand why Maleficent was saying these things. It hurt to hear those words, but she still could not muster up the tears she felt welling up internally. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't cry. She just stood there, dumbfounded and unable to form any words as a retort. She watched helplessly as Maleficent stormed out of the cottage. When she was finally able to move, Maleficent was kicking up dust and leaves with her powerful wings.

"Maleficent—! Wait—!" Aurora coughed as Maleficent raced away from the cottage.

With Maleficent gone, Aurora felt empty. She collapsed to her knees and started sobbing. Her heart clenched painfully at the thought of Maleficent abandoning her. While she knew logically that Maleficent never would, she still feared that possibility. She even couldn't blame Maleficent if she did. Not after all that had happened. It was because of her that Maleficent lost Diaval.

She did not move for a long while, and she was unsure how long had past before she realized that her three "aunts" were next to her. She sniffled and wiped away her tears. "Aunties?"

"Aurora, Malef—"

"Why do you always get to tell her? I want to tell her!" Flittle interrupted Knotgrass.

Knotgrass's face turned pink with her temper. "You told her last time; it's my turn!"

"Tell me what?" Aurora asked; although she had a feeling that she didn't really want to know.

"Phillip is on his way!" Thistlewit blurted before backing down shyly at the glares Knotgrass and Flittle shot at her.

Aurora blinked. "Phillip?"

"Oh, do keep up, will you?" Knotgrass said impatiently. "Yes, Phillip and his father's army are on their way."

Aurora furrowed her eyebrows and frowned thoughtfully.  _'Why? Is he coming to support Gregory? Or did Maleficent somehow get a message to him to come to our aid?'_  She worried her lower lip. If he was siding with Gregory, that was seriously bad news. She didn't know if she could face her friend and kill him. If he was coming to give her aid, then they had a chance of victory. Of course, that depended on how many soldiers he brought with him.

"Do you really mean to go to war?" Thistlewit asked in a small voice.

Aurora grimaced. She still didn't want to, but at the same time, she knew that it was the only way to ensure that she could live peacefully with Maleficent. She told her aunts as much, and watched as the three of them flashed expressions of worry and fear.

After a long while, they all went into the cottage. Aurora sat next to the fireplace and leaned back in the chair. She let out a long sigh, and some of the built up stress from the morning released and her knotted muscles relaxed some.

She listened as her three aunts flitted about, arguing amongst themselves about which type of flowers to feed her. She couldn't help but smile at the memories that brought up from her childhood and all the mishaps as a result of the three pixies being unequal to the task of raising a human child.

"Humans can't subsist on flowers, you know?" she giggled lightheartedly as she sat up and opened her eyes that were full of amusement at the trio's antics. "I'm sure Maleficent will bring back berries and nuts from the Moors." She forced a smile through her own worry at the idea of Maleficent being so angry with her to not return. She knew she screwed up this time, and that Maleficent had every right to be angry with her.

_Thump_. _Thump_. _Thump_.

"What was that?" Aurora asked cautiously. She slowly got to her feet. By the time she was standing, her eyes and nose started burning. She started coughing before she realized that the cottage was on fire.

Her heart pounded rapidly. She stumbled to where her sword was propped up against the wall and grabbed it. She yelped and jumped back when a crossbeam came falling where she was moments before.

"AURORA!" one of her aunts cried.

"Get outside!" she called back. "Find Maleficent!" She hacked and sputtered, as the smoke got worse. She searched for the exit, but the smoke burned her eyes and made it impossible to see more than a couple feet in front of her.

"Aurora! This way!"

She felt a pair of tiny hands tugging at her sleeve. She followed Knotgrass, hoping that her aunt was leading her to safety.

Once she got outside, she took a big gasp of air and hacked to clear her lungs. Her eyes, nose, and throat still burned, but she wasn't safe yet. "Mal—! Maleficent—!" she cried, but her voice cracked.

* * *

Maleficent closed her eyes as the wind whipped against her face. The days were getting colder, and while she could feel the sting of the cold air, it didn't bother her like it did Aurora. She grimaced as her thoughts turned to her once bubbly lover.

She was still very furious with her, but she still felt bad for how she stormed off without finishing the argument and talking it out. She figured that Aurora was just as upset as she was and needed to calm down before they could continue. That didn't make her inclined to back down on her stance though. She was only trying to protect Aurora the best way she knew how, but her beastie was too stubborn to see it that way. She huffed and snorted.  _'Stubborn, rash, foolhardy beast.'_

She banked to the left and glided above the clouds while she struggled to get a grip on her tumultuous thoughts. It would do her no good to return to the cottage still agitated. It was moments like this that she really wished that Diaval was still with her, to keep her levelheaded.

_'Diaval…'_  Sorrow gripped her like a phantom hand clenching her heart. She missed his company, though she would be hard pressed to admit it aloud. He had been with her during the darkest years of her life, and she wasn't even certain if he was still alive. That uncertainty had driven her to the brink of insanity on many quiet nights while Aurora slept in her arms.

She clenched her jaw and balled her hands into fists. She  _had_  to go and rescue Diaval.

_'But it's a suicide mission, Malle,'_  Aurora's voice echoed in her head like a voice of reason.

She screamed in frustration. As much as she wanted Diaval back at her side, she could not let that make her abandon Aurora; as much as she loved Diaval, she loved Aurora more, and she could not put her beastie through that, not purposefully anyway.

Defeated, she made her descent and landed near her Rowan. She sat at the base of her home and looked out over the Moors. Watching the other inhabitants of the Moors go about their daily business calmed her, quite a bit she found. Despite all that was going on out in the world of men, life in the Moors would always continue much the same.

She let out a long sigh and leaned back into the trunk of the tree. It had been so long since she had done this that she forgot the calming effects this activity had for her.

A disturbance on the horizon caught her attention before she could get too relaxed. Smoke was rising from the human side of the border. Her heart pounded erratically as panic welled up in her. "Aurora…"

She was in the air before she could stand to her full height. She raced back toward the cottage, and with each passing second, her panic increased in intensity. She hated herself for leaving Aurora alone, especially with all that had happened recently. If something happened to Aurora, she would never forgive herself. She flapped her wings a couple times, using their power to push her faster through the air.

The closer to the cottage she got, the more apparent it became that the smoke was coming from the cottage. Her mind went into a frenzy at the thought of all the ways Aurora could be hurt…or worse. She felt as though the wind was against her in those last precious moments before she landed near the burning cottage. She scanned the immediate area frantically. The smoke burned her nose and throat, making her cough as she struggled to call out for Aurora.

"Malle—! Maleficent—!"

She turned, and she felt relief at seeing Aurora alive and apparently unharmed. Inspecting her beastie could wait though. First, she needed to get them both to safety. She took three long strides toward Aurora and pulled her beastie securely in her arms before launching them into the air with a single powerful beat of her wings.

Aurora nearly choked her with how tightly she was holding on. Her legs were also locked around her waist. Once she was racing back toward the Moors, Maleficent realized that Aurora was shaking.

"Beastie…" she murmured softly. She frowned as Aurora began whimpering. Whatever transpired had made her beastie distraught. If she weren't so worried about getting Aurora to safety, she would go back and flay whoever made her beastie so frightened.

_'Priorities, Maleficent,'_  she reminded herself with a grimace. Once she got Aurora to the Moors, she could fly back to the cottage and hunt down those responsible.

Her heart leapt as she approached the border of the Moors. She barely had time to experience relief before she felt a crossbow bolt punch through her left wing. She tumbled through the air, and as she lost altitude, Aurora clung to her and screamed. She panicked, and barely had time to wrap her good wing around Aurora before she slammed into one of the boulders at the edge of the Moors. Dots lined her vision as she fell the rest of the way to the ground. She landed on her back, completely winded.

* * *

Aurora stopped breathing as she scrambled to check on Maleficent. Once she discovered that Maleficent was breathing, she released the breath she was holding.

"Malle… Oh god, Malle…!" Pain and fear consumed her. She had no idea how or even if she  _could_  help Maleficent. Helplessness blanketed her like a dark specter.

If Maleficent comprehended anything, she gave no sign of it. Her eyes were half-closed, and she groaned. Her reaction, or lack thereof worried Aurora.

"I got her!" a gruff voice cheered.

Aurora turned toward the source of the voice, and her eyes blazed with fury. Without considering her options, she took up her sword and charged at the man and his two companions. She did not register much; she simply reacted. Swords clashed against hers, and the sound of steel against steel rang in her ears. She hacked and bludgeoned at the men until she could not recognize their corpses, all the while screaming out her pain and fear. When she was finished, she had a couple gashes, one on her right shoulder and the other along her left brow.

"Beastie…?" Maleficent's raspy voice brought her back to reality.

She rushed to Maleficent's side and started sobbing as she threw herself against her lover. "I was afraid I lost you…!"

She felt sharp nails dig into her flesh, as she was pulled closer against Maleficent. "You'll never lose me, beastie…"

"We need to get into the Moors…before more men show up." Aurora pulled Maleficent's arm over her shoulder, and she supported Maleficent's weight into the faery side of the Moors. For someone on the outside looking in, this probably looked odd; given their height difference, but the fact that Maleficent was able to walk without much assistance made it easier on Aurora. They took it one step at a time.

"I'm sorry I got angry," Maleficent murmured, her voice thick with her attempt to keep Aurora oblivious to the pain the arrow caused her.

Aurora shook her head. "Don't worry about it. We need to focus on getting that arrow out of your wing." She looked up at the love of her life and tried smiling in an attempt to show forgiveness. "And I shouldn't have snapped at you in the first place."

_To be continued..._


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:**   **My writing for the next month or so will be largely restricted to weekends due to what is proving to be a very busy work schedule. So updates will continue to slow down until the middle of June.**

**Chapter 18**

Aurora waited patiently for Maleficent to return to the Rowan. Her faery lover had left just before dawn that morning to patrol along the border of the Moors, as was routine every morning. She was wrapped in the fur cloak Maleficent made for her when the first frost blanketed the Moors, just a week ago. She was still cold, but never said anything, for fear of making her sometimes overly protective lover worry.

Her body was covered with more bruises and welts from their afternoon sparring sessions, whereas Maleficent was still clear of them. Aurora's training with her blade had picked up pace since her cottage was burnt to the ground. The memory of that day brought a pang of sadness. That cottage was her home, more so than the castle ever could be, and now it was no more.

"As much as I wish it was otherwise, I cannot always be there to protect you," Maleficent had told her the morning following their retreat back into the Moors. Since that day, they had not argued over whether or not she should be allowed to fight. It was simply accepted that she would have to, though Aurora suspected that Maleficent was unhappy about that.

And the Moors had changed much since then. The thorn wall from Aurora's youth was back in place and thicker than ever. Weapons and armor were being forged around the clock for all inhabitants. The meadows were transformed into training grounds. Really, it broke Aurora's heart to see all this unfold. The Moors were preparing for war, and there was nothing she could really do to stop it from happening, not unless she could figure out a way to prevent Gregory from marching against the Moors, and she had already failed in that endeavor.

Even though it had been nearly two months since war was declared, Aurora still wished it wasn't so. She gripped the leather scabbard of her sword tightly as bitterness washed over her. Lives had been snuffed out since her conflict with Gregory began, and some of those lives at her hand. Sons, husbands, fathers, brothers, their blood was on her hands.

_No_! She shook her head to rid those poisonous thoughts. This was all Gregory's fault. It was on him! If he hadn't sent those men after her and Maleficent, those men would still be alive. If William hadn't flogged her for her refusal of marriage to any one of the long list of suitors her council had compiled, none of this would have come to pass. Her romance with Maleficent wouldn't have happened. It was strange to think that something so good could come from tragedy.

She turned her attention to the skies, watching and waiting for her lover to return. She was getting cold, and she yearned for Maleficent's presence more than usual. Simply put, she felt safe with Maleficent nearby.

The distinct sound of wings flapping caught her attention. Maleficent was returning. She smiled and drifted off.

"Aurora!"

Her eyes snapped open. She was falling down the cliff. She panicked as she tumbled closer and closer to the ground below.

"I got you!" Maleficent said reassuringly after she caught her.

* * *

As Maleficent held her beastie close and ascended back to the Rowan, she noticed that Aurora was shivering. She frowned worriedly and cursed the men who burned their cottage to the ground. Because of them, her beastie now had to face the elements and the cruelness of winter. Instead of landing at the Rowan, she continued flying.

"Hn? Where're we going, Malle?" Aurora mumbled drowsily.

"The hot springs," Maleficent answered. She glided as much as possible so that Aurora wouldn't get much colder.

She landed a few yards away from the hot spring and carried Aurora the rest of the way. Her eyes softened when her beastie shifted and placed her head on Maleficent's breast. She held the younger woman closer.

Her eyes narrowed at the Moorfolk who were playing in the nearby springs. They scurried away as quickly as possible.

"Can you stand, beastie?"

"Hm? I think so."

Maleficent was wary of the lethargic tone in Aurora's voice. She said nothing though, and kept her concern hidden behind a mask. She gently set Aurora on her feet and brought her lover's hands to rest on her shoulders before her deft fingers set about to undress her beastie.

She blinked when Aurora leaned against her. It wasn't that she didn't want them to lose themselves to the passion of their lovemaking, but now was not the time. Her top priority had to be to get Aurora warm. Everything else could wait.

"Beastie…?"

"Warm," Aurora mumbled.

Maleficent chuckled at that. She held her young lover close and rubbed slow circles along Aurora's scars before gently leading her to the edge of the water. She disrobed and brought Aurora into the water with her, careful not to submerge her wings.

She lightly trailed her fingers along Aurora's muscles, taking a moment to marvel at how lean her beastie was becoming as a result of her training. She paused when Aurora squirmed.

"Beastie…?"

"I want you," Aurora murmured.

Maleficent swallowed the lump she found suddenly in her throat. She had to wonder if Aurora was in the right state of mind to know what she was asking.

"Aurora…?" She blinked a couple times when Aurora turned around and kissed her softly on the lips. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss.

"Please, Malle?"

Maleficent grimaced internally. She could hardly deny the little beast anything. She grabbed Aurora and pulled her in close, the movement splashing water. She leaned in and kissed Aurora again, this time trying to convey everything she left unsaid between them: all the sweet promises, the agonizing fear of losing Aurora to their war with Gregory, the disbelief that someone as pure of heart as Aurora could possibly love her… When she pulled back, she was short of breath.

"When we return home, if you still want to."

"Why wait?"

"I want you to myself, away from prying eyes," Maleficent nearly growled possessively.

"Then let's head back now," Aurora suggested, pressing her body sensually against Maleficent.

Maleficent nearly gave in to her baser instincts in that moment. She fought to keep a tight reign over her own desires, afraid that if she ever truly let go with Aurora, she would either frighten or hurt her, and she didn't want that.

Movement in the brush caught her attention. She turned toward the source and was surprised to find Balthazar there. She grimaced unpleasantly and narrowed her eyes at the sentinel.

"There's a disturbance at the border."

"Maleficent?" Aurora sounded concerned. "What is it?"

Maleficent hesitated. The disturbance required her immediate attention, but so did Aurora. She wanted to scream in her frustration. It was unfair how the two most important aspects of her life needed her at the same time.

"Diav—" She stopped herself short. Pain and loss gripped her heart, and she felt an agonizing squeeze there for the loss of her friend.

"Guardian?"

"Keep Aurora safe!" she barked before spreading her wings, and with a high jump and a powerful flap of her wings, she was airborne.

She raced toward the border, afraid of what she would find that required Balthazar to abandon his post and go and seek her out. Rage boiled within her when she caught sight of the host of humans on the other side of her wall of thorns. She almost decided on destroying them before a familiar voice met her ears.

"Peace, Maleficent! We want peace!"

Maleficent landed within shouting range of the humans. She glared at them, daring them to challenge her.

One human was brave enough to approach her. He rode a white steed. It was Phillip. He had come, finally. He refused to look at her, and he appeared uncomfortable about something Maleficent did not understand nor cared about.

"I—erm—I seek—seek an audience with— _ahem_ —Aurora…"

"You will have your audience with me," Maleficent replied coldly. While Phillip was a potential ally, she was still wary to put her trust in him. He was human after all. He was also one of the many young suitors Aurora's council tried to marry her off to. The thought of that every happening made her wings bristle.

"Where's Aurora?"

"Safe. Why have you come?"

He shifted in his saddle uncomfortably. Honestly, she scoffed impatiently, what was bothering him so much?

"Erm—might I suggest—some—erm—clothing?"

Maleficent blinked at him before raising an eyebrow. It was then that she realized that she had left the hot springs without putting her robes back on.

"Does my lack of clothing offend you?" she practically purred, drawing pleasure from his obvious discomfort.

"Erm—" He broke eye contact and turned toward his army.

Maleficent smirked at his hesitation. Had she continued her role as godmother to Aurora, this boy would most definitely not be worthy of her beastie's affections. As Aurora's lover, she found just the idea of him courting her beastie infuriating.

She drew her wings around herself protectively, and immediately noticed how he relaxed. She found his reaction amusing.

_'Humans and their false modesty.'_  She already knew she would never understand it.

"Why have you come?" she repeated.

Phillip swallowed. "To offer aid against Gregory."

Maleficent arched an eyebrow skeptically, assessing whether or not he was telling the truth. She lifted her chin when he met her eyes before she turned back to her wall of thorns.

"You and your army will stay here. Do not try and enter the Moors. Any man who tries will be killed."

With that, she took to the air and raced back to the hot springs and Aurora. Having humans, even allies camping on the border of the two kingdoms set her on edge, and only her beastie was capable of calming the storm welling up within her.

* * *

Aurora's heart raced when Maleficent took off without so much as an explanation. Whatever it was must have been important, and that made her worry even more. Maleficent had taken off toward the border.

She wanted very badly to ask Balthazar what was wrong, but she knew she would not understand him. That left her with nothing to do but fret. Once she dried off and got dressed, she paced back and forth.

At a grunt from Balthazar, she turned her attention to the sky to spot Maleficent racing closer. Relief washed over her before anticipation replaced it.

She ran to her faery lover once Maleficent landed a few paces away and collided into a tight hug that made her feel both safe and worried.

"Malle…?" she murmured uncertainly.

"Balthazar, keep a close watch over the border."

Aurora felt a lump form in her throat. She buried her face against Maleficent's breast in an attempt to seek what comfort she could.

"What happened?"

"Phillip and his army arrived," Maleficent answered, and Aurora could tell she did so reluctantly.

"Where is he now?" Aurora asked as her heart skipped a beat.

"On the other side of the wall of thorns."

Aurora pulled away and looked up at Maleficent in disbelief. "You didn't offer him or his soldiers shelter?"

"We do not know if we can trust him," Maleficent replied.

"But Phillip came to help us, right?"

"Dear, sweet Aurora," Maleficent said heavily. "Phillip  _might_  be an ally, but do you honestly think his army is trustworthy?"

Aurora gaped at Maleficent. She didn't like it, but Maleficent's argument made logical sense. She leaned against her lover, suddenly very tired. She wanted to cry. She didn't; she refused.

"Let's go home, beastie."

* * *

A soft knock on his chamber doors roused Gregory from his sleep. He glared unpleasantly at the door.

"Enter," he commanded in a clipped tone.

The door opened to reveal the captain of his royal guard. The seasoned soldier brought his left fist to his chest in a salute.

"Sire, I just got word from the scouts you sent out. All the pieces are in place."

Gregory's lips spread into a foreboding grin at this news. A glimmer shined in his eyes.

"Most excellent. Yes, this is excellent news. Have the iron workers work around the clock, for King Stefan. He will be avenged. You are dismissed."

"Sire!" The captain of the guard saluted again before he marched away to complete his orders.

Gregory glanced up at the squawk that came from the cage hanging like a trophy from his ceiling. "There is nothing you can do to stop me," he gloated. "Soon, that witch will pay for killing the last two kings, and I will claim the Moors in their memory."

_To be continued…_


	19. Chapter 17

**A/N: Once again, I apologize for the delay. Real life has been a roller coaster, and there hasn't been much time for writing recently. I'd like to personally thank Coco and morganlefayinchains for helping me through a lot of it, especially a certain attack to my writing. I'd also like to take a moment to quickly address that for those of you who don't follow me on Tumblr. If you dislike my writing for any reason and can't offer me constructive criticism on how to improve and instead leave a flame, it wastes my time as well as yours. I'm writing this story for free because it is something I enjoy.**

**Chapter 17**

Maleficent hissed and groaned through clenched teeth as Aurora supported her weight past the border into the Moors. Her wing burned from the iron arrow still imbedded in it. The poisonous substance slowly weakened her, more so than the actual wound. She tried to not lean on Aurora too much, out of her own sense of pride more than anything else, but her beastie held her arm firmly over her shoulders. She found that she was impressed with the young woman's strength; it was humbling in as much as it filled her with pride.

"Just a little longer," Aurora kept muttering under her breath as a mantra of sorts. Maleficent was convinced it served the beastie as much as it did her, to remind them both that they were nearly to safety.

Maleficent swayed dangerously just as they were about to exit the thick woods that acted as a buffer between the realm of man and the Moors. She stumbled before Aurora was able to catch her. She shared a meaningful look with her lover before allowing Aurora to bear more of her weight.

"This spot will have to do…for now," Aurora said softly as she gently lowered Maleficent down against the trunk of a tree near the stream Maleficent and Stefan used to play in as children.

The memories made her grimace bitterly. It was a happier time, a simpler time. And the irony of how she had learned to love the bastard's daughter made her grunt.

"Malle…?" Aurora squeaked tentatively.

She returned to the present at the sound of her beastie's voice. She looked at Aurora's face, and a low growl escaped her throat when she saw the cuts.

Aurora caressed Maleficent's cheek tenderly. Her blue eyes pierced through Maleficent, and for the first time that she could remember, a look left her feeling vulnerable. She leaned in to the touch and sighed through clenched teeth.

"Malle…I need to get that arrow out…"

Her left wing flinched away from Aurora's slowly approaching hands. She watched with a wary gaze and tried not to give into her screaming flight instincts; she knew that Aurora was not about to hurt her, but she still could not help but to see a part of Stefan in her.

"No!" She sprang to her feet and in doing so, pushed Aurora back. She stumbled away a few paces before she lost her balance. She leaned against the trunk of one of the nearby trees. Her breath came in short and quick gasps, and her heart pounded painfully.

"Malle…?"

"Get away!" she hissed.

"Maleficent, what's wrong?"

"I said go!" She turned to Aurora with fiery eyes.

* * *

Aurora slowly got to her feet, not wanting to make any sudden movements. She had never seen Maleficent like this, and it frightened her, though she tried to not let it show.

"Maleficent?"

The hurt she saw deep in Maleficent's eyes shattered her heart. It was like looking at a wounded animal. She feared that Maleficent's ability to reason with logic was compromised. It was heartbreaking to watch, and Aurora had no idea if she could bring Maleficent back from whatever claimed her.

"Maleficent?" she repeated. "Please…let me help…" She took a hesitant step toward her injured lover.

"Don't come near me!" Maleficent snarled, baring her teeth.

Aurora paused, but she did not retreat. Maleficent's words cut deep, but she refused to believe that the faery meant anything by them.  _'She's injured, and freaking out…that's all it is,'_  she tried telling herself.

"I'm not going anywhere, Malle…" she said gently.  _'I'll just wait until you let me approach you…'_  she added silently.

She watched and waited for what felt like an eternity as Maleficent groaned, whimpered, screamed, and even cried in turn. She felt helpless during the entire process, and Maleficent's pain became her own. She sat on the forest floor, rocking back and forth, trying not to panic herself until Maleficent finally calmed down, whether on her own or by exhaustion, Aurora was not sure, but when it became safe to do so, she slowly approached the wounded faery, careful not to move too suddenly.

* * *

Disordered thoughts and memories plagued Maleficent's mind. Without understanding why, the way she viewed Aurora was melding with her memories of Stefan. She screamed internally at the insanity her thoughts were bringing her.

Her instincts were still screaming at her to get away from Aurora, that if she didn't flee, Aurora was going to turn into Stefan and take her wings. Still, she remained frozen in place. Her muscles simply would not do what she wanted, and in her petrified state, she felt powerless.

She watched with wide eyes as Aurora slowly approached her. Her terror spiked when she felt a gentle hand brush against her uninjured wing.

"It's okay, Malle… I just want to help," Aurora said softly.

Aurora's fingers were soothing against her feathers. She relaxed, but only a little.

"I'm going to break the tip off of the arrow now… Is that ok?"

The way Aurora's voice trembled made Maleficent want to regret acting out the way she did. She nodded slowly, her rational mind reminding her that she needed the poisonous arrow removed before  _all_  her energy was sapped.

She gritted her teeth to bite back a painful scream when Aurora broke the tip of the arrowhead and removed the shaft from her wing. A low whimper managed to escape her throat, despite her best efforts at not allowing Aurora to know the pain it caused her.

"What was the salve you put on my back after you rescued me from Gregory's son? Do you remember?"

Maleficent grimaced at the memory, but she nodded. "Gotu kola, knitbone, plantain leaves, passionflower, and yarrow…"

Aurora nodded. She turned toward the forest and the Moorfolk who were watching from the distance. "I need those herbs…quickly as you can," she pleaded gently.

Maleficent blinked, bewildered by Aurora's calm demeanor. She was even more surprised when her beastie brought her down to sit and curled up against her. She slowly wrapped her arms around her lover and closed her eyes.

"Maleficent?"

"Yes, beastie?" Maleficent responded drowsily.

"I'm sorry…about earlier. I was being—"

"Don't be," Maleficent interrupted, sounding harsher than she intended. She opened her eyes and gazed down at the young woman in her arms. "I shouldn't have stormed off. But let's discuss this later, when we are both at our best. I believe the fair folk have brought the herbs."

Her keen ears had picked them up minutes ago, but she didn't want their little moment to end before absolutely necessary. Having Aurora curled up against her was something she would always find soothing. She watched as Aurora took the herbs and thanked her friends for their aide. She then instructed Aurora on how to make the salve and how best to apply it.

The salve burned, but not nearly as much as the iron did before it. Maleficent bore the pain without saying anything, other than to joke about her feathers feeling sticky as a result. As soon as Aurora was finished, she brought her beastie back against her and fell into a light slumber.

She woke some time later to Aurora thrashing. She grabbed her beastie's wrists to keep her from clawing at her own face.

"Beastie…wake up. It's just a dream," she said in a gentle and yet still firm tone.

Aurora woke with a frightful gasp. It seemed to take her several moments to realize she was safe, and once she did, she clung to Maleficent like her very life depended on them becoming one.

"I'm right here, beastie," Maleficent assured her.

"The Moors…they were burning!" Aurora cried.

Maleficent's hold around Aurora tightened. She stiffened at the mention of anything foul befalling the Moors. She gently shushed Aurora and nuzzled her lover's hair. "I won't allow that to happen, beastie."

Aurora hiccupped shakily. She whimpered as Maleficent's long fingers stroked her hair and rubbed small circles on her upper back.

It took a while before Aurora calmed down enough for her to slowly pull away. Maleficent watched her for the smallest sign of continued distress.

"Beastie?" Her own voice sounded hoarse.

"I'll be fine… It was just a bad dream." She smiled, and Maleficent could tell that it was forced.

Without really thinking, she did the first thing that came to mind to comfort her beastie, and she leaned in for a soft kiss that deepened as soon as Aurora returned it. She pulled back to let Aurora catch her breath. "I love you, beastie…"

Even in the darkness, Maleficent could see the blush creeping up on Aurora's cheeks. She bit back an amused chuckle, figuring that now was not the right time to poke fun at Aurora's very human response.

"I love you too, Malle…"

Maleficent hissed when Aurora leaned in to bite her neck. "Beastie…!"

Aurora pulled back quickly. "Did I hurt you?"

The concern in her voice moved Maleficent in a way that she was not entirely prepared for. She hid her slight discomfort from her still healing wound on her wing behind a well-composed mask. "You can't hurt me so easily, beastie," she purred.

Maleficent pulled Aurora close, almost possessively before she covered her young lover's soft lips with her own. As the kiss deepened, she nipped her beastie's lower lip and tugged on it earnestly. Her hands wandered to the robes Aurora wore, and with a few quick flicks of her wrists, the offending fabric was removed, leaving a trail of Goosebumps along Aurora's pale skin. She traced her fingers along every inch of skin she could reach, taking her sweet time exploring very familiar territory.

Aurora tilted her head back and groaned. She leaned into each of Maleficent's touches, almost as though she was begging for more with her body.

Maleficent tangled her fingers into Aurora's hair and tugged lightly before working her lips over each of her beastie's breasts, ending with pulling on each nipple in turn. She smirked at the way Aurora moaned for her to continue. She pulled back, just enough to watch Aurora's reactions as she trailed her free hand down the valley between her breasts, her stomach, and further down to stop just at her pelvis.

"Are you going to fuck me already, or are you going to drag this out like the imp you are?" Aurora growled.

She grinned at the fire Aurora was finally allowing to show, and she even chortled a little at the impatience her beastie was presenting. She leaned in to purr in her ear, "I like it when you beg. Do it again."

"I'm not begging," Aurora huffed indignantly, to which Maleficent held back a wicked laugh. She gripped Maleficent's horns and brought her up for a searing kiss. "I want you to quit messing around and fuck me like there's no tomorrow."

Maleficent arched a brow at that. "As you wish, beastie," she all but growled as her baser instincts began to really take hold.

She penetrated Aurora with two fingers and quickly began thrusting in and out. Her beastie's moans got increasingly louder and throatier the faster she moved her fingers. The sound was music to her ears. She fought to hold her still.

"Malle…!"

"I know," Maleficent groaned. She pressed her forehead to Aurora's as she added a third finger and brought Aurora to the edge of ecstasy before she began kissing and nipping her way down. Upon Aurora grabbing her horns and bringing her to her goal, she began licking for all she was worth. The only thought driving her was how she wanted Aurora to be exhausted enough to get some actual rest, for tomorrow, they were going to have to continue making preparations for the coming war.

"MALLE!"

Maleficent continued her licking and thrusting until Aurora became limp, and then she slowed to a stop. When she looked up at Aurora, she was pleased to find her beastie's eyes fluttering closed and her chest rising and falling. That alone brought her all the pleasure she needed. She crawled back up to Aurora and held her.

"One of these days, I'll—"

"Sh, I know," Maleficent whispered soothingly. "Sleep now."

"Will you be here when I wake?" Aurora asked, sounding uncertain.

"I will," Maleficent promised before kissing Aurora on her forehead, nose, and then mouth.

_To be continued…_


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N: I sincerely apologize for the very long delay on any updates to this story. Without going into details, real life got very hectic, and I was out dealing with the splattering mess some situations left behind. I'm happy to say that I'm back, at least for now. One Week, for those of you who also follow that, is still very much on hiatus.**

**Chapter: 19**

When Aurora woke the following morning in Maleficent's arms, most residual anger she felt toward her had dissipated. She took a few moments to simply be. She figured with Maleficent still asleep, she could take a little time to not have any war preparations or discussions.

The war. She sighed heavily, though what she really wanted to do was cry. The more she allowed it to plague her thoughts, the more she wanted to break down, but she wouldn't. She had to remain strong. The question remained; how long could she keep up appearances? Was she even cut out to be queen of both Albion  _and_  the Moors (though she knew her title as Queen of the Moors was only a formality; she had no real power)? The only reason she pretended to hold everything together was because that was what was expected of her as a queen. In truth, it was only a matter of time before she crumbled under the pressure. She just had to continue to hold that at bay, at least until she could find solitude.

"Beastie."

She subconsciously stiffened at the sound of Maleficent's soft voice. Just as quickly as she went stiff, she relaxed and leaned against Maleficent's shoulder. She closed her eyes and took some strength in simply  _knowing_ her lover was with her no matter what came to pass. It was a comforting thought, at least, and maybe that was enough to keep her going through all the turmoil.

"How's your wing?" she asked. Her eyes opened, and she tilted her head to watch for any subtle tells.

"Mostly healed, thanks to you."

Aurora blinked. Was Maleficent  _thanking_  her? After a moment of silent shock, she decided to simply accept it without bringing attention to it. She smiled softly. "I'm glad."

Maleficent nodded slowly. She drew Aurora in closer. Her long fingers rested on Aurora's abdomen. It was a secure feeling, but Aurora could not shake the apprehension she felt at being pulled close to her consort.

"Malle…?"

"I am going to have to leave soon."

"To go on patrol?"

"That's part of it. I also need to go to that  _boy_  and coordinate with him."

Aurora frowned. 'That boy' meant Phillip, and judging from the venom laced in Maleficent's voice, the faery was not at all pleased at the prospect of meeting the young prince.

"I want to come with," she declared.

"What?" Maleficent replied, clipping off the word in much the same manner as when Aurora declared that she was her faery godmother.

"I want to make certain there are no misunderstandings between you and Phillip," Aurora explained.

"Do you not trust me?" Maleficent asked, sounding mildly wounded.

Aurora grabbed her by the horns and forced eye contact. She stared deep into those alien eyes she had long since fallen in love with. "Not so. I don't trust the humans."

* * *

Maleficent knew she shouldn't be surprised whenever Aurora made such declarations. Her beastie might be human, but her heart was most definitely fae.

She inclined her head slightly, knowing that she would not be able to keep Aurora from any meeting that may very well determine the future of her kingdom. It was just one of the many reasons she loved the young woman nestled in her arms.

"As you wish, beastie." She only hoped that she would not regret giving in to her request. An army of humans meant the possibility of an assassin, or several, was high. That put her on edge. And the last time she had that nagging feeling was when she agreed to allow Aurora to return to her kingdom, which only added to the sickening knot forming in the pit of her stomach.

"Thank you," Aurora said with a soft kiss on the cheek.

Maleficent nodded. She slowly released her beastie and stood to get into her robes. There was no need to repeat the other day. She also helped Aurora get dressed, despite the younger woman's protests. She chuckled dryly.

As soon as they were presentable, Maleficent lifted Aurora into her arms, and with a couple powerful beats of her wings, got them into the air. Her still recovering wing burned, but she did not let on that it bothered her. There was no point in worrying her beastie any more than absolutely necessary; Aurora had enough to worry about without fussing over her.

There was still the war. Maleficent grimaced bitterly, and her grip on her beastie tightened until Aurora cringed with discomfort.

If it wasn't for Gregory and his insane power trip, they could live in relative peace and comfort in the Moors. And apparently, that was too much to ask for in life. Maleficent was weary of conflict; she had gone through over sixteen years of it before having to deal with Gregory. She wondered if she could ever have lasting peace in her life, or if she was doomed to conflict for the rest of her life.

"Malle…?" Aurora sounded very timid. It was so unlike who she had grown to be over the last few years that it transported Maleficent back to the summer eves they spent together walking through the Moors.

"What are you so deep in thought about?"

Maleficent nearly gaped at her. In the years they had spent together, Aurora had never once pried into her thoughts. Ask questions insistently, yes, but never pry. She blinked a couple times while she considered her reply.

"How much time do you think Gregory will give us to prepare?"

Aurora frowned thoughtfully. She was silent for a long moment before she responded. "It depends on if he's ready to march his army or not. If he is, we have maybe a day or two. If not, we have until spring."

Maleficent's upper lip curled up in a snarl. Magic began to swirl around her arms until Aurora gently caressed her cheek.

"Peace, my love. I doubt Gregory will march before spring."

She slowly calmed down, at least enough that she reigned in any outward signs of her obvious anger at the situation. If Gregory did march the entirety of his army, they were not ready. Tactically speaking, it was best for him to strike hard and fast, before the snows trapped him. But Maleficent had him pegged for a cautious man. It probably took him years to plot his coup. That, or he seized the opportunity granted to him when Maleficent rescued Aurora from his son.

She had not thought of that night in weeks, and to do so now added kindling to the fire growing under her skin. It was yet another example of how she failed Aurora, and that was simply unacceptable.

She stamped the thoughts down before landing near the human encampment. She needed to remain calm if she was going to keep this alliance with Phillip and his army, and while she wasn't going to admit to needing his help, she did. The safety of the Moors  _and_  Aurora was far more important than her pride.

"Maleficent!" Phillip greeted as he marched over to them with five soldiers surrounding him. He held his head high and walked with a stride that commanded the respect of his men, but not Maleficent. He paused momentarily. "Aurora?"

"Phillip!" She beamed at him, which upset Maleficent a great deal to see.

"We need to discuss strategy, boy," Maleficent said in a low voice.

"Watch your tongue, witch!" the guard nearest Phillip snarled.

She arched an eyebrow at him, daring him to challenge her further. Much to her surprise, he did not back down immediately, like most humans. She considered that perhaps she was growing soft because she refused to believe that the man was really that brave. Her attention flickered away from him after a brief moment, and she paid him no more attention than she would have an annoying fly.

"Ah, yes, I suppose that would be wise," Phillip stuttered nervously.

Maleficent was amused to find that Aurora was far ahead of this boy who had been raised with the expectation of ruling. Her lips curled into an unpleasant smile as she followed Phillip and his guards through the camp. She was sure to keep her hand pressed firmly against the small of Aurora's back, and she glared at any soldier stupid enough to leer at her beastie.

The hungry look in most of the soldiers eyes set her teeth on edge. If it weren't for the fact that she didn't want another war on her hands, she would have zapped them where they stood for the way they were looking at Aurora like she was a slab of meat for the taking. She resorted to a simple icy glare, and that got most of them to back down.

"Aurora, it's good to see you. You look well," Phillip said when they reached what must've been his tent. In the center was a table with maps and model statues placed at strategic points, obviously to represent units in both armies.

A light blush touched Aurora's cheeks. Jealousy rose in Maleficent like an angry beast. Did she feel threatened by this  _boy_?  _'Ridiculous,'_  she tried to reason with herself. And yet she knew that Phillip could offer Aurora what she could not. He could secure her authority and provide her with the heirs her council so desperately wanted. He could provide for her in a way that Maleficent could not. It shamed Maleficent to even have such thoughts floating around.

"To business," she said in an attempt to chase those unwanted thoughts away.

"Erm—yes, right then." Phillip gestured toward the map. "My scouts report that Lord Gregory has amassed around ten thousand troops, most of them foot soldiers. I brought five thousand men."

"How many soldiers does the Moors have?" He turned to Maleficent.

Maleficent arched a brow at the numbers. She was unimpressed, but said nothing about it. "Not enough."

Phillip grimaced and cursed under his breath. He gripped the edge of the table and stared at his map, as though that was going to solve their multitude of problems.

"At least it doesn't look like Lord Gregory is going to march until spring," he added, sounding more of a man and less a young lad.

"Any chance you can call on more troops?" Aurora asked hopefully.

He shook his head gravely. "I had to fight for the men I got."

"Prince Phillip, might I suggest we hide our army? If Lord Gregory doesn't know we're here to aid Aurora, we might have the element of surprise. Hold back until the time is right." One of the guards spoke up.

Maleficent's nostrils flared and her eyes flashed. She barely noticed Aurora's soothing grip on her left arm. Her attention remained on the guard, and she was poised like a predator ready to strike.

"And leave the Moors to face the brunt of that lunatic's attack?"

"Do you want to win this or not, witch?"

Green energy swirled around her hands at his insulting tone. She refrained from striking him down, at least for the moment.

"Maleficent—!" Aurora cried, stepping between her and the guard. "He's not worth it!"

Her lips curled into a snarl as she released the built up energy. "Consider yourself lucky that Aurora has seen fit to spare your life."

"Enough!" Phillip shouted as his guards reached for their swords. "We are allies! Can we act like it for just a little while?"

Maleficent pulled Aurora close and maintained a firm grip. She watched the guards for any sign that they were going to break their truce. If they did, she would be ready, and they would not survive the encounter.

"Maleficent—might I suggest your soldiers coordinate with us for daily drills?" Phillip asked. He was pleading with her, and he sounded exasperated. His gentle eyes bore into hers, and for a moment, he was able to maintain unwavering eye contact.

She inclined her head slightly. "I will send the border guards at first light tomorrow," she conceded.

"Right then… Aurora, would you care to join me for lunch?"

"Uh… I don't think that's a good idea today," Aurora replied hastily.

Maleficent didn't realize that she held her breath while she waited for her answer. She was pleased that she didn't have to worry about Aurora being alone with Phillip.

"Oh…well, maybe another time then?" The disappointment in his tone and the way his shoulders slouched made Maleficent fight to keep the smug grin from her face.

"Maybe," Aurora said slowly. She turned to face Maleficent. "But I think it is time for Maleficent and I to take our leave."

Maleficent could not get them out of the human camp fast enough. As soon as they were past the outskirts, she spread her wings and shot into the air. Aurora's delighted squeal, which she had not heard in quite some time, was music to her ears. She dipped and somersaulted through the air until her beastie started shivering from the cold.

_To be continued..._


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

He never believed it was possible, and yet he was standing at the crest of a hill, looking down on his men and the warriors Maleficent sent him two moons ago for daily drills. It was a glorious sight, but one that he felt would be short lived, even with the best of intentions from Aurora. He sighed inwardly as he thought of the blonde beauty. From the moment they crossed paths in the woods, he was smitten, and his every advance since then was met with no measurable results. She was an object of nightly frustration for him. He had thought that coming to her aid would make her return his feelings, but that was not the case.

Phillip rested his thumbs in his belt as he continued to observe his soldiers and the border guards of the Moors move in unison. The daily drills were a distraction from the torment he felt at having Aurora fall deaf to his every advance, including the blunt ones. He wondered if the rumors he heard about Maleficent seducing Aurora and taking her to her bed each night were true. He clenched his jaw at the very thought.

From the time Aurora was an infant, she was promised to him. She was  _his_! He had hoped that over time, she would come around to the idea of sealing the alliance between their kingdoms. It was part of her sacred duty, after all, to produce heirs with him. The thought of her fornicating with Maleficent made his stomach turn. It was unnatural, two women being together in the way nature intended for a man and woman.

Of course, he had no proof such acts of abomination were even taking place. He wasn't sure how he would react to proof. But when he first started hearing the rumors around his soldiers' late night campfires, he thought them ludicrous. Aurora— _his_  Aurora committing such acts with another woman, her faery  _godmother_  of all people? Now that thought made bile rise in his throat. He forced it down.

The important thing was to secure Alba under Aurora's rule. He had no way of guaranteeing that someone like Gregory would uphold the alliances between their two kingdoms, and he wasn't about to jeopardize that. Once the war was won, then maybe Aurora would see reason and marry him out of gratitude. Marriage wasn't about love anyway, not for nobility such as them; it was about forging alliances. It was certainly time for Aurora to leave her fantasies and realize the truth of how the world,  _their_  world worked.

And once he made her see that, there would be a lot of changes…

"I thought you'd be here."

His head jerked up at the sound of her sweet voice. Heat rose in his cheeks when he turned to find Aurora standing a few feet behind him in her fur lined cloak. Her hair was braided back, something she had recently taken to doing with it. She claimed that it was to keep her hair out of her eyes when she had her sparring sessions with Maleficent.

"Aurora. I—um—I was beginning to think you weren't going to make it today."

She eyed him. He couldn't quite get his bearings on her expression. Was she disappointed with him? Did she somehow see him as inferior? Those thoughts alone were enough to leave him feeling emasculated, and that was simply unacceptable. He needed to assert his dominance over her, and quick. His men would demand it, at the very least. If he was seen as inferior to a woman, his men would lose all respect for him. He couldn't afford that.

"Maleficent wanted my take on the drills," she said softly.

He grimaced and forced a smile. "Did she?" At her nod, he gestured for her to stand next to him.

"What do you think?" He watched and waited for Aurora's answer.

"That we might actually have a chance, but there will be a lot of lives lost."

"These men are soldiers. They know every time they march to war might be their last."

"That's a callous way to look at it, isn't it?"

He grinned at her. He wanted to caress her, but he refrained. Every time he had tried to do something as thoughtful as that, she had run scared and would avoid him for days. And while he didn't approve of Maleficent's influence over her, he also knew that if the faery suspected him of doing anything to truly frighten or harmful to Aurora, she would flay him alive. While she was his promised bride, and they weren't in love, he didn't want her to be frightened of him.

"Sweet Aurora, innocent as always," he said, trying to sound tender.

She frowned, but said nothing. He thought that strange of her. When he visited her at her castle, she was always so talkative and constantly asking questions. Now, she was much more reserved, much more queen like. That made him want her all the more. It was strange to think that something like a war could forge her into someone all the more desirable, when he thought that wasn't possible.

* * *

Aurora could not believe her ears. Phillip was patronizing her. Was it because she was a woman? Because she valued the lives of his soldiers? And the way he grinned; it put her on edge. It was like watching a wolf who knew it had its prey cornered, and she was the prey.

She redirected her focus on the drills taking place below. She found watching humans and her Moorish subjects working together toward a common goal promising. While there had been peace for a few short years, it was tense at best. She didn't blame either side for not trusting the other, despite the fact that it was traditionally the humans who instigated hostilities, and the fae were simply defending their home.

Watching the ents moving as a singular unit was awe-inspiring. She could definitely see why Alba or any of the other human kingdoms was never successful in taking the Moors. While the humans vastly outnumbered the Moors, the ents moved as one. They were a frightening force.

Phillip's soldiers, on the other hand, were jerky in comparison. Granted, for humans, they moved impressively, but it did not compare to the ents.

For the first time in a long while, Aurora had some real hope that they stood a chance against the army Gregory was still gathering. The combined army she had helped gather was impressive in its own right, and she couldn't help feeling a little proud of this significant accomplishment.

Still, she would prefer to solve this without any bloodshed. She just didn't see a way around it. Gregory was coming for her head after she openly defied his assumed authority, and he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted, or she had him killed first.

She considered hiring an assassin. It would be quick and efficient. Once he was dead, she could step in and re-secure her throne before some other upstart noble could get it into his head to fill the sudden power vacuum. But then she would have to remain on her throne, and likely away from Maleficent. And she might have to take a husband to appease her council. All to avoid something like this from happening again, at least within her own lifetime. It all came back to how much of her happiness was she willing to sacrifice to maintain the hard won peace?

She looked at Phillip for a short moment. If they won this and survived, she wondered if he would demand her hand in marriage as payment for coming to her aide. She didn't want that. She felt nothing beyond friendship toward him. But was there a better option in her pool of allies? And then there was Maleficent to consider, and her feelings. She loved the faery, more than anything. But could she really convince her kingdom to accept Maleficent as her consort? It was a long shot, but it was the only way to secure her happiness as well as the peace between the humans and Moors once this was over.

"You seem more quiet than I remember you being," Phillip commented.

"There are many thoughts that weigh heavy on my mind," she replied.

"Perhaps I can help ease your mind?"

Aurora wondered what he meant by that. Was he asking to actually listen to her troubles? Or did he have something else in mind? She shuddered to think what that something else could be.

"How?" she dared to ask. After all, what was the harm in knowing?

"You have something that Lord Gregory does not. Something that might very well give you an advantage."

She blinked. They were outnumbered, three to one based off the last reports. "What?"

"Loyalty. He's an effective strategist, yes. He's got decades over both of us, experience on the battlefield. But he does not have the loyalty of his troops. He is forcing many into his army through conscription. They are inexperienced, and will likely flee the first chance they get."

Aurora considered his words. From her own understanding, experience was meaningless if your army deserted you. That thought was enough to boost her confidence. She smiled at Phillip, and she thanked her friend for his words.

It was not long before Maleficent landed well away from Phillip's guards. Aurora turned to greet her lover with a reserved smile. She wanted to leap into the faery's arms; she missed Maleficent. There hadn't been much time for them to spend together recently with war preparations to see to, and while Aurora knew that it was necessary, she missed the warmth she felt whenever Maleficent was near.

Maleficent approached them with her silent lithe steps. She stopped just short of Aurora, but Aurora knew that she was close enough that if anything should happen, she could easily protect her. It was practically impossible for Aurora to read her lover's expression. Even the telltale signs of irritation that she often observed whenever Phillip was near were absent. The faery's face was kept perfectly blank.

"How go the drills?" she asked.

"Well enough," Phillip responded. "Any change to your last report?"

"Not anything that concerns the war."

"I will be the judge of that."

Aurora looked back and forth between them. It was like watching two venomous snakes playing chess with the barbs they exchanged, thinly cloaked as a business exchange. It worried her, watching the two of the people she cared about most behaving in such a way. She knew that she was the reason for this. Phillip wanted her, that was no secret, and Maleficent was not going to allow that if she could help it. They were being territorial, and she felt helpless to stop it. After all, they might deny doing it if she brought it up.

"Maleficent."

Olive eyes met her own. The gaze they shared was intense. She tried to convey her ire without the need for words, and Maleficent's eyes were filled with silent agony. Aurora knew why there was pain there, and she knew precisely what she would need to do to remedy that.

"Yes, Aurora?"

"I must retire," she said heavily. She glanced quickly at Phillip, even though she knew that it would wound Maleficent to do so. "Phillip." She inclined her head to him, before she went over to Maleficent.

* * *

Maleficent wrapped her arms around the young woman who held her heart, as she took to the air. Her heart leaped when she felt Aurora hold her just as tightly. And the way Aurora's face was buried in the crook of her neck softened her hardened heart.

She flew to the hot springs. Even as she landed, they held each other. She could barely remember the last time they had done something as simple as hold each other. Sure, they slept together each night, but they were both so exhausted by the end of the day that they did not have the energy to take comfort in being in each other's company, and she knew that they both so desperately needed to take time for those moments. She inhaled Aurora's scent and trembled.

"Malle…? What's wrong?"

Aurora's voice was soft with worry. It was enough to make Maleficent's resolve to crumble. Still, she bit back the sobs. Decades of hiding her emotions other than anger could not be broken so easily, even in front of the one who opened her heart to loving once more after so much pain. She did allow herself to tremble, not that she had much say in the matter, for her body betrayed her desire to hide her fear from Aurora.

"Malle…?" Aurora repeated, gently pulling away and brushing her knuckles across Maleficent's cheekbones.

Maleficent took a shuddering breath. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to prevent the tears from falling. She stiffened when she felt Aurora's lips press softly to each eyelid.

"The way that  _boy_  looks at you…" Her grip on Aurora tightened as she voiced that fear in particular.

"It makes me uncomfortable as well," Aurora mumbled. "But we can't do this without his army…"

Maleficent growled at that. She undid Aurora's braid and ran her fingers through the tangled strands of hair.

Never in her life had she been so afraid…or lost. She was convinced Diaval was dead by now. Her oldest friend, the one she could always depend on was no longer there to help her. And now she was facing the possibility of losing Aurora as well. Was she doomed to wander the world alone? Was that to be her fate?

_'No…'_  She growled. She refused to allow that to happen. She might have lost Diaval, but she would  _not_  lose Aurora too. She pulled the younger woman closer...

* * *

As the weather began to improve and spring began to shove winter aside, the quiet of the Moors ceased to exist. Phillip's army also started to see more activity with daily drills, which Aurora observed from the cliff side of the Rowan while Maleficent patrolled along the border.

Each day that past grew tenser. Aurora snapped at Maleficent each evening before they went to bed, and she immediately regretted it. To her surprise, Maleficent never once retaliated. Rather than put Aurora at ease, it made her more irritable. She almost wanted Maleficent to lose her calm, to give in to the raging storm Aurora knew was constantly brewing. She knew it would relieve Maleficent of the tension growing just behind her walls, and thus prevent a massive blow up. But Maleficent always seemed to retreat whenever Aurora felt she was getting close to getting the faery to release the storm.

On one particular warm afternoon, Aurora strolled through the Moors, alone save for her sword at her hip. The weight of the weapon was something she had grown somewhat accustomed to. She greeted the Moorland folk she past with a strained smile.

The forges were full of activity. Every faery who could fight was fitted with armor of the most intricate designs she had ever seen. Those who chose to use weapons rather than magick or in combination with were given swords, spears, and pikes.

Aurora grimaced bitterly. When the real fighting began, it was going to be a blood bath, and there was virtually nothing she could do to prevent that outcome.

"I never knew the Moorfolk could be so…innovative."

Aurora nearly jumped and reached for her sword at the sound of Phillip's voice so close to her. She frowned. Maleficent would surely lecture her for letting her guard down, even in the relative safety of the Moors.

"I think they're doing this to confuse the enemy," Aurora replied thoughtfully.

"You're human too, you know."

Aurora turned to him. Of course, she knew that, but she did not voice her sudden ire. Instead, she said, "I was raised by three pixies, the Protector of these Moors, and a raven. The Moors are more my home than Alba ever will be."

He blinked, probably stunned by Aurora's refusal of the human half of her kingdom. His mouth hung agape for a moment before he could compose himself. He cleared his throat.

"What are your plans after the war?"

"You are assuming that there will be an 'after the war'," she told him plainly. Upon seeing the pain in his expression, she sighed. "I will have to secure peace and undo any of the damage Gregory has done. Once that is done, I will choose a successor and go into exile."

"You could just give the council what they want…and need," Phillip suggested.

She cringed. Her refusal to take a husband was what got her into this mess. But she loved Maleficent, and no other. She had spent months tormented by the conflict of interests, and it tore her up on the inside to think about.

"Before anything else, I've got to defeat Gregory," she said, hoping to change topics. Just the thought of giving in to her council's demands made her stomach clench uncomfortably. It would require her to allow a man to touch her in ways that made her skin crawl just to think on it; she couldn't imagine how uncomfortable she would be if she actually allowed it to happen.

"Yes, of course," he agreed.

She let out a small sigh of relief. That was not the first time Phillip had broached that topic, and she had lost count how many times he had brought it up, especially recently. It made her want to avoid him more and more. And then there was the way she sometimes caught him staring at her. Her hand rested on her sword, as she recalled one conversation she had had with Maleficent when she was younger about the minds of men. She hoped that Phillip was not like that, but she was also starting to question his motives. Recently, he was starting to frighten her more and more, and she was beginning to question her alliance with him. She needed his army, she kept telling herself. It was the only way she had a chance of keeping the Moors safe, of keeping Maleficent alive. She would pay any price to keep her home and lover safe.

_To be continued…_


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

The months following Queen Aurora's forced exile were long and dark for most of the inhabitants of Alba. The treasury was spent trying to prepare to take the Moors. Taxes were hiked to make up the difference. Crime ran rampant throughout the kingdom. People starved to death in the city gates, and no one bothered to clean up the bodies; there were no funds set aside for any sort of cleanup. The smell wafted even in the castle, where Shae scrambled to pack only the bare essentials for her journey.

The time under Gregory's rule was especially unkind to her. Almost without fail, she was called to attend to his needs every night, and she shuddered just thinking about it. That was why she decided to leave; she  _had_  to get away, as far away from him as she could if she hoped to survive.

She stuffed what supplies she could into a sack and tiptoed through the corridors of the castle. She avoided the main ones as best she could, even though her detours cost her precious time. She only figured that it was better to avoid patrolling guards than it was to escape in a hurry.

Once she was safely outside, she made a beeline for the stables. There were only a couple horses left after the mounted cavalry cleared the royal stables. She settled for the bay gelding in the farthest stable.

"Shae? What are ya doin' 'ere?"

She cringed; she was done for. She turned slowly to face the grizzled horse master. His severe features were enough to inspire dread. For all she knew, he was going to bring her before Gregory, and the punishment for her transgressions would make her surely beg for death.

"Well, speak girl!"

She flinched and trembled at the harshness of his voice. "Um…" She had to think of something, and quick. Her life depended on it. Not knowing who held this man's loyalty made that all very problematic.

She bit her bottom lip nervously and breathed shallowly through her nose. After a moment that to her felt like an eternity, she opened her mouth. "Well—I—with everything going on…" She clamped her mouth shut and turned away quickly as her fear left her petrified.

"Ya thought ya'd escape?"

She cringed and nodded, still not daring to look up at him, fearing what she might see. Would he be merciful and let her go, or would she be doomed to a fate worse than death?

"Ya'll need help with the saddle. Do ya know how to ride?"

She looked up at him with teary eyes. Were her ears deceiving her? Was he actually letting her go? Helping her even? It was too good to be true. She thanked him breathlessly as he took a saddle and strapped it onto the gelding.

"My papa taught me how to ride when I was but a girl," she told him as she took the reigns and swung her leg clumsily over the saddle and placed her foot in the stirrup.

"Go!" he urged her.

She thanked him for his kindness one last time before kicking the gelding into a gallop. She gripped the reigns tightly, still in disbelief that she was making her escape. She was really getting away from that awful castle and the man who had been her torment for several moons. She wanted to leap for joy at that prospect. Her chances of survival just went up by a lot.

But where exactly would she go? Where  _could_  she go? She thought of Queen Aurora. Her queen had escaped to the Moors, and to Shae, that was where she stood her best chance as well. She had to tell Queen Aurora...

* * *

Maleficent stared up at the night sky with Aurora safely nestled against her. The stars twinkled back. She had spent the last while soothing Aurora to get the beastie to rest. She was hesitant to resort to magic; it would solve nothing, and the underlying problem would just persist.

Aurora was plagued with nightmares the last few nights, and it was starting to show. Most who interacted with the young queen were oblivious to the dark circles under her eyes, but not Maleficent. She knew from experience the toll sleepless nights could have. She saw through the forced smiles and laughs Aurora used to reassure her friends. The light in them had dimmed. The contrast in her behavior was obvious, and Maleficent felt powerless to help; she had felt powerless ever since she saved Aurora from the clutches of Gregory's son and just stamped that feeling down for the most part. For a short while, at least, Aurora seemed to be somewhat healed from those experiences.

She rubbed gentle circles over Aurora's back when she felt the younger woman stir. The way Aurora's face was scrunched up in pain and how she whimpered and reached for Maleficent's hand all tugged at her heartstrings. She gladly gave Aurora her hand and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. It was agonizing to see Aurora in such distress and be unable to do anything to stop it. All she could do was be there as an anchor for her beastie on the bad nights in the hopes that the darkness wouldn't consume her.

"You are safe, Aurora," she murmured softly. She repeated those words until Aurora was once again peaceful. "I am here, my little beastie." She leaned down to kiss the top of Aurora's head tenderly.

Like so many times before, she wished that it was within her power to take the hurt away from the woman she loved. But even magic wasn't that powerful. She would just have to do what she could to mundanely help Aurora heal.

"Malle…" Aurora murmured. Her eyes were open, but Maleficent wasn't convinced that she was aware of her surroundings; her blue eyes were hazy and unfocused.

"I'm right here, Aurora," she said softly, hoping that she could reassure her. She traced circles with her thumb over Aurora's hand until the younger woman was once again asleep.

Like so many times before, she cursed the war and Gregory and his offspring for their affects on the ever-growing fragile state of Aurora's mind. She knew that Aurora tried acting normal in front of everyone else, but sleep revealed the darker parts she tried to hide behind a smile. Maleficent did not know what Aurora's most recent bout of nightmares involved, but she had a few suspicions. She never asked Aurora about them, figuring that when her lover was ready, she would confide in her, but even Maleficent's patience had its limits.

The night wore on. Maleficent got very little sleep before dawn, as she was so preoccupied with her worry over Aurora to bother with sleeping. When the sun began its ascent above the rolling hills, it painted the sky in red hues. She had a bad feeling in her gut that no matter how much she tried to rationalize that it was just a sunrise would not leave her in peace. Every bit of lore the other faeries taught her as a girl about red sunrises pointed to ill omens, and just this once, she hoped they were wrong.

She looked down when Aurora started stirring, and was able to temporarily set aside her dread. It was much easier to do that when she paid attention to Aurora. She watched for the smallest hint of fatigue. Aurora had dark circles under her eyes, but there didn't appear to be any other signs of the rough night she had just had.

* * *

Aurora bit back a yawn as she sat up to stretch. She smiled up at Maleficent, but it did not reach her eyes like her smiles used to. She knew that it was only a matter of days, weeks if they were lucky before Gregory marched his army onto the Moors. Even she couldn't completely deny the strain that was putting on her.

"Morning, beastie," Maleficent said softly, caressing her cheek tenderly.

Aurora leaned into the touch. It was a rare moment when Maleficent was being this attentive to her, and she was going to bask in every one that she could get. She didn't blame the faery. She knew that the smallest gesture of love was difficult for Maleficent to display, and she was going to appreciate them when they happened and  _show_  Maleficent that it was ok to let her guard down a little around her.

"Morning, Malle," she replied as she kissed the palm of Maleficent's hand.

They shared a stare that was both loving and full of concern. Words were unnecessary at that point, and none could not do justice to what Aurora was feeling: apprehension, worry, guilt, fear, and so many others. Each one intertwined with the next, none of them out screaming the rest.

The moment was interrupted when Maleficent pulled away suddenly. Aurora furrowed her eyebrows and reached out to touch her lover's arm lightly. "What is it?"

Her question was answered seconds later when her three aunts raced toward the Rowan. She blinked at them when they landed on a nearby branch, all three of them out of breath.

"Mal—Maleficent—" Knottgrass began.

"There's a—" Flittle continued.

"Human woman—border—" Thistlewit finished breathlessly.

Aurora's heart fluttered. She wondered who it could be. Some poor soul trying to seek sanctuary from the chaos? Before she could say anything, Maleficent took to the air without her, and the three pixies were scattered about in the powerful gusts from the faery's wings.

"Always with those big wings of hers!" Thistlewit squeaked indignantly, scrunching her face into a sour expression.

Aurora was climbing down from the Rowan before her aunts could protest. She fumbled to secure her sword to her hip as she stomped off after Maleficent. She took off at a run, even though she knew that Maleficent would be at the border long before she could catch up. She still had some hope that she could prevent an incident if the woman was seeking asylum.

She did not bother with any hellos or good mornings with the inhabitants of the Moors as she ran toward the border. This disregard of her fae subjects was met with huffs and accusations of rudeness, but she could not delay. They would forgive her later once she returned to apologize.

When she reached the thorn wall, she finally slowed to a jog and then a walk, and the wall parted for her. Even before she reached the other side, she could see that Maleficent was already facing off with a cloaked woman at the edge of where Alba ended and the Moors began. The faery's wings were flared out threateningly.

"Mal—Maleficent!" Aurora panted. She stumbled and staggered over to them, only slightly wary of the cloaked woman.

"Queen Aurora!" The woman beamed before bowing respectfully. When she looked back up at Aurora, the young queen noted how her burgundy hair was in disarray. Her cheeks were gaunt, and she looked half starved.

"Shae?" She blinked a couple times before recognition hit her, and she ran to hug the woman. "Shae! It's really you!"

"Aurora?" Maleficent said, obviously trying to sound sharp and reproachful, but it came out more confused.

Aurora stepped away from Shae to turn quickly to Maleficent. "Maleficent, I'd like you to meet Shae. She's one of the few friends I had at the castle." She smiled, and for the first time in a while, it felt genuine. She could not believe that she was getting to see Shae again when she had convinced herself that anyone who had ever been friendly toward her had been purged under Gregory's rule, especially after what happened to Lord Alphonse. A pang of guilt and sorrow twist in her gut as she thought of her trusted advisor's fate.

"Please, Your Majesty. I am your handmaiden," Shae murmured with a blush as she adverted her eyes.

"And you're my friend," Aurora declared with a smile.

Then she noticed something else that was different about Shae. The young woman had her cloak drawn around her, and she was trembling.

"Shae…what's happened to you?"

"Aurora…perhaps your guest would like to get cleaned up from her journey," Maleficent suggested stiffly.

Aurora nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, of course."

"Might I suggest the hot springs? No one goes there, so it can afford her some privacy."

Aurora found that she was surprised by Maleficent's show of kindness. She smiled gratefully at her lover before leading Shae to follow the faery into the Moors.

Later that evening, once Shae was cleaned up, the three women sat together next to the river, watching the water faeries lighting up the water as they skated along its surface. As Aurora watched Shae's eyes light up with wonder, she wondered if that is how she looked to Maleficent when she believed she was no more than a simple orphaned peasant girl. The memory brought a soft smile to her face, and she leaned against her faery lover. She sunk deeper into Maleficent when she felt long fingers stroking through her hair.

"I can see why you love the Moors so, Your Majesty," Shae commented after a long moment of silence.

"Please, it's just Aurora here, Shae," she sighed wistfully. "Everyone here is equal." She smacked Maleficent playfully when she heard the older woman scoff.

"Yes, of course," Shae replied, blushing.

"What happened, Shae?" Aurora feared her answer, but at the same time, she needed to know.

Shae grimaced and returned her attention to the water faeries. "I'm with child, Your Majesty…"

Aurora's jaw dropped. She didn't quite understand why Shae didn't sound thrilled at the prospect of a child. She knew women who positively glowed when they found out they were with child. That left one very terrible reason why her friend didn't beam as she announced her news.

"I'm sorry…" Maleficent murmured softly. It was the first time Maleficent had really spoken since bringing Shae into the heart of the Moors.

Shae jumped and looked frightened that Maleficent had spoken to her. She let out a shuddering sigh. "Greg—Gregory is the—father—" And then she started wailing.

Aurora was shocked when Maleficent was suddenly beside Shae and wrapping her arms around her friend, trying to comfort her. She joined them, but she was not sure what to say. What could she say in a situation like this? Surely nothing would quite fit. All she could do was hold Shae and be angry for her. Gregory would pay dearly, for this crime in particular.

"I swear you will be safe in the Moors," Maleficent promised, and her words warmed Aurora's heart.

"Th—thank—thank you," Shae hiccupped once she calmed down a little.

Aurora patted her friend gently on the back. "There's nothing to thank."

Shae slowly pulled away from them. She sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Um…there's more…" She sat back and stared at her hands, which she clenched and pulled at her dress.

"What's happened, Shae?" Aurora asked. Was there news? Something she could use against Gregory? Was Diaval still alive? Her heart pounded wildly as she held her breath and waited. She could only imagine what was going through Maleficent's head at hearing that there was more Shae had to tell them.

"Your familiar is still alive," she said in a voice that was barely audible, and her eyes flickered to Maleficent for a brief moment. "Gregory's keeping him as a trophy for his amusement."

"Diaval," Maleficent gasped.

Aurora's heart leaped. Diaval was alive! He was actually alive! She wanted to jump up for joy until she remembered that he was still Gregory's prisoner, but there was still some sliver of hope, and a lot could be done on hope alone; she just had to continue believing.

Shae yawned and timidly apologized for her professed rudeness.

"You must be tired," Maleficent observed quietly. Her eyes were distant, and Aurora supposed that her mind was preoccupied as hers was with the news that Diaval yet lived.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep," Shae admitted sullenly.

"Nonsense," Maleficent scoffed.

Aurora watched, somewhat grateful and also horrified as Maleficent brought her hand to her lips and blew gold dust into Shae's face. Within seconds, Shae was on the ground, sleeping.

"That will allow her to sleep peacefully," Maleficent told her.

Aurora nodded slowly. Her thoughts returned to Diaval and his fate. She wondered if it was possible to mount a rescue. With Diaval, they stood a better chance of winning  _and_  living to enjoy the victory.

She recalled the night of her sixteenth birthday, and how to save them, Maleficent turned Diaval into a dragon. That was what they needed now. If Diaval became a dragon again, they would surely win, and do it without a lot of unnecessary carnage.

She also knew it was her fault he was captured in the first place. If she hadn't been so stubborn about insisting meeting Gregory's accusations of treason the previous summer, Diaval would still be safe and well. But because he had tried to break her and Maleficent out of prison, he was captured. It was her fault, and now she knew there was a chance to fix her mistake.

But if she was caught, it would mean her death. Could she do that to Maleficent? Her death might also mean a death sentence for Diaval, and then Maleficent would be left alone once more. But she was going to do this  _for_  Maleficent.

"Aurora?"

"Huh?" She blinked and looked up at her dark faery.

"What's on your mind?"

Aurora tried to hide her cringe behind a sweet smile, and she hoped that Maleficent wouldn't notice like she usually did. "Just that for the first time in a while, we've got some good news. Diaval's alive!"

Maleficent nodded slowly before leaning in to kiss Aurora. They met halfway. The kiss started slow, almost tentative. The longer it progressed, the more heated it got.

Aurora slowly moved to straddle Maleficent's hips. She began to move in slow circles, grinding occasionally to get some friction between them until her lover growled impatiently. She stared into Maleficent's darkened olive eyes. When she saw the desire in those alien orbs she leaned down to nip and kiss along the Maleficent's neck.

"Beastie!" Maleficent hissed. Her slender hands held Aurora still, not forcefully, but still firm. She flipped them around agilely so that she was on top. Her wild hair fell into Aurora's face. The blonde brushed the strands away before Maleficent leaned down to pepper her mouth and neck down to her collarbone with kisses and bites.

She tangled her hands in the faery's hair and tugged lightly. All that did was egg Maleficent on further. She tilted her head back and hissed blissfully as nimble fingers pulled her clothes away and pinched each of her nipples in turn. She started to thrust her hips up, trying to get as much friction as she could to bring her closer to that release she desperately needed. She could not recall the last time Maleficent had done these things to her, only that it had been far too long and overdue.

"Not yet," Maleficent purred in her ear, making her shudder in pleasure.

"Malle…please," she begged in a whimper. If these were going to be their last days together, she wanted them to be memorable.

"You still lack patience, my love."

Aurora wrapped her legs around Maleficent's hips and hooked her ankles together before using her momentum to switch their positions so that she was the one on top. She left a trail of kisses from Maleficent's collarbone to just behind her ear. She grinned at the way her lover seemed helpless under her power.

"Have you forgotten who your queen is?" she whispered before grazing her teeth along Maleficent's sensitive skin.

The faery hissed and groaned. "No, Your Majesty."

Aurora shuddered at the way Maleficent said "Your Majesty." Normally, she blanched at the title, but when the woman beneath her used it, she almost came apart at the seams. It was like someone had thrummed a chord in her very being.

"What is your wish, Your Majesty?"

"Make me forget about everything but this moment…everything except for  _us_ ," she said in a mockery of the tone she used when performing her queenly duties. " _After_  you've allowed me to touch and taste every bit of you…if you're ok with that." She pulled back slightly to give Maleficent the opportunity to deny her. She hoped she wouldn't, but she also didn't want to accidentally break that trust they had built over the years.

* * *

Maleficent stared back at Aurora's pleading expression. She considered granting her request. Would it be so hard to just give in and let Aurora have her way with her? Then again, that would mean giving up her ability to control the situation. And what if Aurora accidentally touched her in the wrong way and sent her into an uncontrollable panic? If that happened, she was afraid she might hurt her love.

She leaned up to kiss Aurora gently on the lips. "I'm sorry, beastie…not tonight."

She noted the dampening in Aurora's expression and hoped that she would be given the chance to someday make it up to her. But for now, she could try and give her beastie some pleasure.

Her hands returned to Aurora's breasts. She squeezed at the fleshy mounds as she sucked and nipped at her beastie's pulse point, shivering at the animalistic sounds coming from the young woman. She used her knee to slowly pull Aurora's legs apart, but dared not go to her goal, not until she had Aurora screaming and begging for release. Every time they tried to have an intimate moment, they had been interrupted, ever since that  _boy_  and his army arrived in the Moors, and for that, she was going to draw this out as long as she could.

Aurora shifted as Maleficent's ministrations got steadily rougher. She let out something that sounded like a cross between a hiss and a moan as Maleficent tugged on both her nipples.

"Malle...!"

A mischievous glint touched Maleficent's eyes as an idea came to her. She leaned down to pop a nipple into her mouth and bit down teasingly, earning a pained gasp as Aurora tilted her head back in pleasure. It was a glorious sight and sound. Maleficent switched breasts and gave the same treatment, only this time harder. Aurora screamed her name.

That was the signal she was waiting for. Without missing a beat, she reached down and quickly inserted a couple fingers, finding that Aurora was already very wet. As she pumped her fingers in and out, she continued toying with her beastie's nipples with her teeth. She was careful not to bite down too hard and was listening for any sound that indicated true pain rather than pleasure.

"Malle...! Please...!"

Maleficent slowed her pace, but didn't stop. She added a third finger and began kissing and nipping from the valley between Aurora's breasts, down her stomach, her inner thighs, cleaning the mess there before she reached her target. She picked up her pace with her fingers as she lapped at Aurora's juices, and with her free hand, she reached up to pinch one of her queen's nipples. That was all it took to get Aurora to gift her her release. She kept going, getting a couple more out of her beastie before slowing to a stop.

When she was finished cleaning Aurora up, she crawled up to her beastie so that she could hold the still trembling woman. She kissed her repeatedly until Aurora was snoring softly.

"I love you, Aurora," she murmured as she drew her wings around them and drifted off to sleep herself.

_To be continued…_


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Emptiness and dread consumed Maleficent as she opened her eyes. Confusion welled up just beneath the surface. The memory of when she woke to discover that her wings were cut off overwhelmed her, except to her, it was really happening. She flailed wildly.

_'No!'_  she shrieked internally and wailed her despair to the heavens.

"Maleficent!"

At the strange voice, she froze. Green magic automatically swirled around her hands and up her arms, ready to strike down any nearby threat, as she stared into the youthful face. She paused as she tried to determine if she was friend or foe. She blinked warily as recognition slowly came to her. "Shae, isn't it?" The magick dimmed somewhat, though she could still feel the tingle of it in her hands.

The young woman nodded quickly. She appeared to be trying to keep her alarmed features in check, but it was obvious to Maleficent that she frightened the woman. Part of her felt bad for Shae. How could she not? In Shae, she saw a reflection of herself. She pitied the young woman, and while she had only just met her, she knew that Shae was just a hallow shell of who she once was, and the poor woman endured  _months_  of torture at the hands of Gregory. She wondered for a moment what she was like before. As she thought on that, she calmed down and decided that she would ask Aurora what Shae was like once their lives returned to normal. It was then that she realized that Aurora was not sleeping beside her. Her heart skipped a beat as panic returned.

"Where is Aurora?" she demanded harshly, forcing the compassion she felt for Shae aside.

"I—I don't know. She was gone when I woke."

"Gone?" Maleficent blinked slowly. She didn't understand where Aurora could have gone without saying anything, and to leave without notice was very unlike her. She searched her immediate surroundings frantically, hoping that maybe Aurora had just gone for a walk to clear her head, but there was no sign of her anywhere, and wherever she had gone, she brought her sword with her. While Maleficent had encouraged Aurora to always be armed in case Gregory launched a surprise attack, she could not shake the sickening knot forming in her stomach. "Stay here!" Without a second glance, she took to the skies.

She raced throughout the Moors, searching every spot she could think of that Aurora might go: the hot springs, along the river, the Rowan, even the field where Phillip's army was preparing for war. She landed near Phillip's tent, stumbling haphazardly as she went before regaining her balance.

"Maleficent!" Phillip greeted tersely.

She regarded him with a guarded expression. "Has Aurora been here to see you?"

"Not since yesterday...why?"

Her upper lip pulled back in a snarl.  _'Where could she have gone?'_  She launched back into the air without granting Phillip an answer.

As her search continued, she started feeling more and more helpless. It quickly became apparent that Aurora had left the Moors, and Maleficent suspected she knew why. She returned to the river, where Shae lay curled up, sleeping, or at least trying to. With the way her face was scrunched up, the faery guessed that she was having a nightmare.

She knelt next to her and shook her shoulder firmly until she woke. "Aurora's left the Moors." The words left a bitter taste in her mouth, as though saying them made her statement more true somehow.

Shae nodded slowly, almost as though she expected this. Her eyes squinted in thought, and she drew her knees against her chest. The muscles in her neck and shoulders tensed.

Maleficent opened her mouth, fully intending to question her further about Diaval's condition, but the trio of pixies raced toward her before she got the chance. She glared at them, seething internally that they had interrupted her.

"Maleficent! Maleficent!" they shrieked in a chorus.

She cringed and bit back a harsh response. She closed her eyes for a moment before turning her full attention to them, all the while silently cursing their presence.

"The human army is on the march!" Thistlewit squeaked.

The dread Maleficent felt when she woke returned in full force. She felt her head spinning. She desperately wanted Aurora at her side in that moment, and it was then that the full realization of how much she depended on Aurora's presence really hit her. She felt lost.

"Maleficent?" Knotgrass murmured cautiously.

She screamed in her head, while trying to maintain a calm appearance. She knew that the war was coming. She caused it. If she hadn't gone to Aurora's castle and killed Gregory's son, this war wouldn't have started. Granted, it was all to protect Aurora from a terrible fate, but the consequences would be costly. She grieved for the bloodshed she caused over the years.

"Summon the warriors, and tell Phillip to prepare his army," she ordered after a prolonged silence.

_'And so it begins...'_  she thought with a bitter grimace.

* * *

Aurora crossed the border back into Alba just as the sun's rays broke past the distant rolling hills. Her heart fluttered and skipped every other beat with each step she took out of the Moors. She could not shake the feeling that what she was doing was seriously wrong, but she knew that it was something she needed to do. She doubted that Maleficent would ever forgive her for being so reckless, but if she had tried to discuss her plans with the faery, she knew that Maleficent would do everything in her power to keep her from doing precisely this. Still, she had to do this. She had to fix her own mistake. It was the only way.

As she went, she was grateful for the months of training Maleficent put her through. Before the training, she would have tired out before she even got out of the Moors, but now she was able to keep a steady pace without over exerting herself.

She eventually slowed to a brisk walk, and it was then that she took the time to look up at her castle. She grimaced sourly, wondering what horrors Gregory had committed within its stone walls. How much had changed in just a few short months?

_'Has it really been nearly a year?'_  she wondered. So much had happened, and some of it she was still having some trouble processing. At the top of that list was the fact that through everything, Maleficent remained at her side. The former queen of the Moors had become more of a rock for Aurora recently than she was in the few years they had really gotten to know each other, and now she was jeopardizing all of that.

_'It's worth it,'_  she tried convincing herself.

She kept going until she reached the crest of the very hill she used to play on as a girl. Her heart sank with dismay.

Off in the distance, she could see the mass of Gregory's army starting to march toward the Moors. At the rate they were going, they were a two days march away. She wanted to scream at the now impossible choice she had to make. It just wasn't fair. It was either turn back now and try and warn the Moors or continue on her current course and rescue Diaval. She fell to her knees as helplessness washed over her.

She thought about what Maleficent would do in this situation. It didn't take her long to conclude that the Protector would choose the Moors out of a sense of duty.

_'But this is_ for _the Moors,'_  she argued with herself.  _'If the Moors…if Maleficent can hold out just long enough for me to return with Diaval, then Malle can turn him into a dragon, and we can stop Gregory before this becomes a bloodbath.'_

_'It's already going to be a bloodbath,'_  she reasoned.

_'But that isn't my fault. Gregory is a power hungry madman.'_

_'You could have swallowed your pride and married any one of the suitors the council chose for you.'_

_'I didn't choose to be queen… I didn't want any of this…'_  Tears stung her eyes. Was all of this carnage and bloodlust really her doing? It certainly felt that way to her.

_'Diaval still needs to be rescued,'_  she finally concluded, and that was all she really needed to pull herself together enough to get back to her feet and keep pushing onward toward the castle. She just hoped that her friends could hold out long enough for her to return. They had to…

The sun started its descent behind the hills when she reached the portcullis. Much to her surprise, it appeared that there were no guards on duty. She still wasn't going to risk sneaking through the front door of her castle, not when the guards were surely under orders to either capture or execute her on sight. She used the cover of darkness to sneak to one of the hidden passageways she used to use as queen to sneak out of the castle and escape to the Moors when her duties proved to be too suffocating.

She placed her hand on the hilt of her sword as she ventured into the tunnel. Maleficent's voice echoed in her mind about never being too careful. Her lips twitched into a small smile as the voice comforted her.

Aurora was not surprised to find the corridors of the castle mostly empty of guards and her household staff. What did surprise her, however it shouldn't have, was the sheer amount of iron spikes she had to climb over and under. It put what her father did just before his death to shame, and that made her stomach twist and turn unpleasantly, leaving her glad that she forewent eating apart from the few roots she was able to dig up along the way. Really, she should've taken the time to plan better for this rescue mission.

She pushed those thoughts aside and forced herself to focus on what was really important, and that was freeing Diaval from this awful place. Everything else could wait.

She ducked behind a corner as she heard two pairs of footsteps drawing closer. She held her breath as her heartbeat quickened. She gripped the hilt of her sword tight enough to turn her knuckles white. She didn't want to kill these two, but she also couldn't afford to be captured.

"King Gregory's whore escaped last night," one said in a casual tone.

"That cunt isn't worth his time, outside of warming his bed at night," the other laughed.

Aurora bit back her anger at their cruel words. Were men really so vindictive? Did they really just see women in that light? If she got through this alive and victorious, she vowed to change that.

They continued walking, none the wiser about the intruder. Aurora grimaced sardonically. Intruder, her in her own castle, the birthright she never asked for.

She snuck into her private chambers, and her heart shattered over what she found. All the torture devices she had outlawed during the first year she spent on the throne. A row of heretics forks lined one of the walls. Some of them had dried blood still on them. There were also lead sprinklers, thumb screws, and many other implements. Her nose wrinkled with disgust, and she blanched at the sight of them.

And hanging from the ceiling was a birdcage, and lying at the bottom was Diaval, half molted. He cawed weakly at her.

"Sh, Diaval," she whispered soothingly. "I'm here to take you home."

He raised his head slightly and clicked his beak once. That seemed to be all he had strength for because he collapsed.

Aurora cursed herself for not coming sooner. She searched the room frantically for something she could use to free Diaval. Each moment felt like an eternity. Eventually, she found the keys among the mess on the writing desk. She gently scooped Diaval into her arms after getting the cage open.

Now she had to make it safely back to the Moors… That thought terrified her more than sneaking into her own castle.

_To be continued…_


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**A/N: Warning, this chapter contains triggering material.**

Sneaking through the deserted corridors of the castle was simpler than Aurora imagined possible. With each step she took, her confidence grew. She didn't have to stop and hide for guards or other household staff, which she thought strange, but she shrugged it off as nothing more than luck. It didn't take her long to be back in the secret passageway and freedom.

She didn't stop to celebrate. She knew that she wasn't even close to true safety. Holding Diaval close to her chest, she continued moving at as hard of a pace as she dared. Her legs and lungs burned with exertion, but she pushed through that out of sheer determination. The thought of being back with Maleficent kept her going.

She dreaded the argument she knew would come upon her return to the Moors. She imagined that Maleficent was probably mad with worry. Still, she told herself that it was all worth it in the end. Diaval was alive, and she was determined to return him to the Moors. For that, she figured Maleficent would be grateful to her.

Before all of that, she needed to get safely back to the Moors. And then she would need to recuperate her strength for the battle ahead. This was all assuming that Maleficent didn't somehow tie her up to keep her from fighting after her most recent stunt.

She huffed and grunted with effort as she pushed on.  _'One thing at a time,'_ she reminded herself.

* * *

He forced his eyes open. Was seeing Aurora nothing more than a cruel dream, a trick for his delirious mind to play on him? It wouldn't be the first time.

The first thing he noticed when he came to was warmth; he had forgotten what warmth was in his prison. Someone was holding him. A woman, that much he was certain. His mistress, perhaps? He wanted it to be her.

He cawed weakly.

"Sh, Diaval, you're safe now," the woman whispered soothingly.

It wasn't his mistress, but the voice was just as familiar. He caught a glint of golden hair in the moonlight. The hatchling! Aurora  _had_  come to rescue him at last!

He flapped his wings excitedly and croaked. He was saved! No more would the two-legs torment him. He wouldn't be bait for the dogs anymore! Aurora was going to take him home to his mistress!

Aurora clamped his beak shut. "Diaval, rest!" she whispered, panicked. "We don't want to be caught."

He nipped her finger affectionately before falling into the best sleep he had experienced in a very long time. The thought of home bolstered his dampened spirits. His life had purpose once more, and that was all he needed.

Blackness overtook him. He did not know how long he was lost to the blissful abyss, but he was very suddenly disturbed from his rest. He nearly cawed reproachfully before he realized Aurora was sprinting and dogs were barking and men were shouting not far from them. He tried to flap his wings, not to flee, but to go and peck their eyes out, but he was still too weak. He cursed his body for not cooperating like it should. He felt useless. He couldn't even recall his last meal. Sometimes, when no one was around, a kind young woman brought him extra food. Without her kindness, he would've surely perished long ago.

 _'Useless!'_  he thought angrily. The hatchling,  _his_  hatchling was in danger, and there was nothing he could do to help, and his mistress would be enraged if anything happened to her goddaughter, and he would willingly subject himself to the full brunt of her wrath if he survived;  _h_ _e_  wouldn't be able to forgive himself if anything happened to Aurora.

* * *

As soon as she realized she had been spotted, she ran for all she was worth. It was all she could do, if she had any hope of survival. She knew she couldn't singlehandedly fight Gregory's army, nor could she ask Diaval to fly back to the Moors to warn Maleficent, so she ran.

She stumbled on a rock, and by the time she regained her balance, five horsemen and three dogs had her surrounded. She glared at the spear point just inches from her throat defiantly. She raised her chin in an attempt to show no fear, even though she was afraid this would be the end. For her, and for Diaval. She wept internally at the idea of never seeing Maleficent again. At the thought of never holding her true love or being held in return, her heart sank. It was the worst feeling she could possibly imagine. She would rather be struck by a hundred arrows.

"Look at what we have here," the one with the spear pointed at her jeered. "The False Queen."

"And looks like she stole King Gregory's pet," the second added gleefully.

Aurora held Diaval closer to her bosom in an attempt to protect him. She didn't like the hungry look these men were giving her. All her instincts screamed at her to run or fight, anything to get away from them. Even death would be a better fate than what she feared would happen to her if she stayed.

"King Gregory'll reward us for bringing her to him," the third said. His grin was the most wolfish of the three. It sent a shiver down Aurora's spine.

"We don't have to bring her right away," the first replied.

Dread consumed her. In that moment, she wished for nothing more than to be back in the Moors, safely in Maleficent's arms. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to allow them to fall. She would not grant them that satisfaction.

"I am a prisoner of war," she declared, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "There are rules for how I'm supposed to be treated."

They laughed at her. Her stomach dropped. This was bad. Her luck had run out. She was about to pay a terrible price for running off on her own to rescue Diaval.

The men dismounted their steeds. Diaval cawed frantically, and Aurora did nothing to silence him. She tried to bite back a whimper as the three of them surrounded her, and try as she might, her body would not listen to her. She was frozen in place, apart from trembling, and she felt powerless to do anything to stop them from approaching her. She had never felt so powerless, even when William flogged her, and she resented the feeling. One grabbed her wrist roughly. Another yanked Diaval from her arms and tossed him to the dogs. The last one began tearing away at her clothes.

Everything happened both so quickly and seemed like an eternity. Aurora sobbed and begged them to stop as they each had their way with her over and over again. It hurt. She wanted to die, and she was sure that Diaval was dead when his strangled cries were cut off.

When they were finally finished with her, they rearranged her clothes, but she didn't care anymore. What little hope she had left had evaporated. She felt like she was only held to her body by a weak string. It was as though she had left, and someone else took her place. She was barely aware of the ropes binding her wrists together, or the way the rope burned any time she unconsciously shifted.

Even when she was brought to Gregory's tent, she was barely aware of her surroundings. She understood something about her being a more valuable bargaining chip alive, that he could use her against the Moorish folk. It was all very unclear beyond that. She didn't care. She didn't protest when he put her in irons and had her dragged behind his warhorse. Nothing mattered anymore.

_To be continued…_


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

The hours dragged on as Gregory's army drew steadily closer to the border of the Moors. Maleficent stood on the edge of the cliff overlooking the Moors, watching as her fellow faeries fluttered and marched to and fro, frantically preparing for the battle they knew was at hand. She tried not to allow her deeper emotions to show. It would not do to frighten the other fae; they would lose hope if they knew how anxious she was, more so than she ever had been. She needed Aurora at her side, to remind her why she continued to fight. Aurora gave her life meaning, more so than her duty as Protector. Without her, Maleficent felt lost.

As her thoughts turned once more to her missing lover, worry gnawed at her mind and heart. She couldn't help but to think that maybe Aurora had abandoned her. She couldn't blame her. She had expected something like this since she broke the sleeping curse she placed. Even after years of Aurora constantly expressing forgiveness for her wrongdoing, Maleficent still hadn't forgiven herself for her actions. It still weighed heavily on her heart.

Her wings sagged slightly. That was a shame she would never fully escape, and she had vowed to do everything she could to make it up to Aurora. Still, she was a faery and Aurora was human; their two worlds were never meant to mix. No matter what they did, there would always be those who stood opposed to their love, and she wondered if their convictions were enough to make it last.

Still, she preferred the idea of being abandoned over anything befalling Aurora, and she was going to take whatever comforting thought she could. She just hoped that whatever had happened that Aurora was safe.

"Protector," Balthazar's gravelly voice jerked her out of her inner torment.

She turned to the guard with a forced passive mask in an attempt to hide the fact that he had startled her. "Yes?"

"The human army is nearly here."

"Of course." She sighed inwardly. This was it. This battle may very well decide the fate of the Moors. Of course, every battle did, but this one felt different to her somehow. A sense of foreboding loomed over her, and try as she might, she couldn't shake it off. Still, she dared not abandon her friends to fight this battle alone. No matter what, she still had her duty to defend the Moors until death embraced her.

She spread her wings, and with a single powerful stroke, she propelled herself through the skies and toward the border. The wind felt numb as it whipped her hair and face. There was no exhilaration, at least not the positive sort that she typically associated with flying.

She landed at the front of the relatively small army of faeries. They were outnumbered, five-to-one, even with Phillip's army. Their odds weren't good, but she wasn't going to let that show. She needed her friends to be confident and brave. Besides, they still had magic on their side. That was one thing Gregory and his army would never have access to, and she planned on keeping it that way.

Her heart pounded mercilessly against her chest. She focused on slowing her breathing as Gregory's host drew nearer. She scanned the front line. It didn't take her long to identify him. She was a bit surprised to find him there. She took him for a coward who sent men to die in his name rather than fighting himself.

He sat proudly on his ash steed. His armor gleamed in the sunlight; it was a beacon and a target among the dull steel those who actually had armor rather than simple doublets. He was already holding his mace at the ready. The army behind him was a more formidable number than she had imagined based off reports from scouts. She tried to convince herself that numbers weren't everything. Many, if not most of the soldiers facing her were inexperienced and hardly considered more than boys. They were conscripted into their service, and that would breed a great deal amount of fear.

Her upper lip curled up in a feral snarl. She barely noticed the men who were trying to cower back. Her eyes were trained on who Gregory was pulling behind him. Her heart clenched as green flares of magic automatically sparked around her hands and wrists.

 _'Aurora…!'_  Her mind was numb with shock.  _'No…!'_  She wanted to scream. Her heart sank when she realized that Aurora wasn't looking at her, or wasn't reacting at all. It was as though all the fight had been beaten out of her.  _'What did he do to you…?'_

Before she could move, Gregory dismounted his horse and grabbed Aurora roughly. At the sight of the glint of a blade pressed against Aurora's neck and the speck of red, Maleficent hesitated. She snarled savagely at the knowledge of how trapped she was. She knew that if she made a single move, Gregory would slit Aurora's throat. Through all of this, Aurora didn't struggle or protest, not like she did when they faced the chopping block. Maleficent wondered if she even comprehended what was happening. Anguish gripped her as she considered that Aurora wasn't entirely aware of her surroundings.

"Lay down your weapons and surrender!" he demanded. "If you do not, I will have no choice but to kill her!"

Maleficent was disheartened to see many of her friends drop their weapons in defeat. The risk to Aurora's life was too great. If she could just figure out a way to rescue her, then they could push Gregory's army back, at least long enough to regroup and allow Aurora to muster everyone's courage enough to defeat Gregory. She was too far away, and Aurora wasn't even looking at her. There was a dead look in her eyes, a look that Maleficent recognized all too well because she had experienced it. It was the look of defeat and the loss of the will to live.

She wanted to rip Gregory apart with her bare hands, to inflict every bit of pain he had caused Aurora ten fold. She was so lost in her rage that she didn't even know where she would begin, but it would be a terrible fate, even for him. She didn't care. He had hurt Aurora…again. That was beyond all forms of forgiveness as far as she was concerned.

"What will it be, witch?" he demanded.

Her vision was overtaken by shades of green in her seething rage. She would have to act quickly if she had any hope of rescuing Aurora. Even the smallest mistake could cost Aurora her life.

She closed her eyes in a show of defeat and focused on the magic gathering within her, molding it into a very precise strike. She released it and shot herself toward Aurora as Gregory was blasted backwards. She grabbed Aurora around the waist, using her wings to deflect spears and swords before taking to the air and dodging a volley of arrows. When she looked back, the faeries were clashing with the humans.

The air was filled with the sounds of battle. Shields splintered, spears and swords shattered, cries of agony and triumph erupted from both sides.

Maleficent abandoned the battle. She regretted the need to do so, but her first priority had to be Aurora. The faeries would fight regardless of her involvement.

Even when she reached the Rowan, she could hear the battle still raging. She cringed and held Aurora closer. Her heart sank when Aurora did not embrace her in return, and it felt as though someone had reached into her chest to squeeze her heart when her beastie pushed her away.

"Get away from me!" Aurora shouted. Her voice cracked and shook.

Maleficent stood there, eyes filled with anguish. As much as she wanted to just hold Aurora in that moment, she didn't make a move toward her. She watched as Aurora ran a few paces away, only to stumble and fall and sob. She wanted nothing more than to fly back and rip Gregory to shreds, but she also knew that whatever happened, Aurora needed her in that moment, quite possibly more than ever before.

She approached her broken queen and fell to her knees. She was close enough that Aurora could launch herself into Maleficent's arms and bury her face into her breast, but far enough so as to not loom and possibly frighten her. It was a delicate situation, and she needed to handle it with care.

"Aurora," she choked out in barely more than a whisper. "I'm here…" She blinked back her own tears.

"Diaval…" Aurora whimpered weakly before closing her eyes and losing consciousness.

Maleficent's heart stopped for a moment. Diaval… She hadn't seen him among the throng of soldiers Gregory brought for slaughter. Had something happened to him? Did it have anything to do with why Aurora was in such a state?

The tears she had been holding back fell silently. She scooted closer to Aurora and drew her into her trembling arms.

"Oh, sweet Aurora, we will make him pay," she whispered before she planted the most tender of kisses on Aurora's temple.

* * *

Phillip watched the battle from atop the hill where he had hid his army, under Maleficent's orders. He grimaced at the thought of that faery. He knew that he couldn't do anything against her, not if he hoped to keep Aurora's favor. But to take orders from her emasculated him in the eyes of his men. He knew they whispered about it around their campfires. They didn't respect him. Without their respect, he knew that he couldn't possibly lead them, not without proving himself in battle first, and even then they might continue to whisper about him.

His stallion pawed at the ground. He patted his noble steed's neck to calm him. He pulled sharply on the reins and spurned him to a gallop along the front line of his army.

"Our enemy is down there! Leaderless! They're unseasoned boys! Victory will be ours!" He brandished his sword as his men yelled and jeered. He knew his words were unlikely to reach the history books, but he didn't really care. He was too eager to fight.

He took the lead as they descended from the hill. The sounds of the armies clashing rang in his ears. It was more glorious than he could have ever imagined. He hacked and bludgeoned as many as he could with his sword, while fending off attackers with his shield. The feeling of bones and flesh giving way to his blade gave him a sense of power unlike any he had felt before. He was finally considered a man in his father's eyes now that he had spilled the blood of an enemy. If he could just survive this war, he could return home with his head held high. And surely, Aurora would gladly accept his hand. Then he would no longer be a disappointment in his father's eyes.

"Retreat!" one voice rose above the sounds of the battle. Several horns joined in the call to retreat.

"Pursue them! Don't allow them to escape!" Phillip ordered, bolstered by his early success.

He spurned his horse forward, slapping the hindquarters with the fuller of his sword whenever the horse hesitated. He pursued the retreating army with some of his soldiers trailing behind, killing as many as he could reach until the trees blocked him from further pursuit.

When he turned back, he took in the carnage that had been wrought. Dead bodies lay everywhere, human and faery alike. The soil was soaked red with spilt blood. Those who were gravely wounded cried out. He would deal with them later. A quick headcount told him that most of his men survived. His chest swelled with pride; he would need them for the following battle, and any that came after.

He dismounted his horse and handed the reins off to the nearest foot soldier. "See to it that my horse is cared for while I tend to the wounded."

"Yes, my prince," the soldier replied eagerly before leading Phillip's warhorse away.

He took a cloth and wiped the blood from his sword before sheathing it. He walked among the dead, but felt nothing for them. Soldiers were expendable in times of war. It was an accepted fact that men would die, and there was no point in grieving them. That was left to the women and children.

"See to it that they are buried," he told one of his generals. After all, he wasn't entirely callous. These men had died in the glory of battle; the least he could do was show the proper respect. "And station whatever soldiers are not exhausted to take the first watch."

"Yes, sir."

He nodded and continued walking. He didn't stop until he made it to his tent. His muscles burned and ached, especially his arms. He knew his shield arm was bruised. He summoned one of his attending squires to remove his armor and to take his sword to the smithy to be sharpened before he poured himself a cup of wine and collapsed in his bed of pelts.

* * *

Maleficent didn't get much sleep that night. After she moved Aurora into the Rowan, she listened to the battle raging for what must've been hours; she couldn't be certain. The horns of retreat sounded at some point, though she could not claim to know which side they belonged to. She held her breath as she waited for Gregory's army to invade. They never came, so she was left to assume and hope that the horns belonged to Gregory's side.

She also had to fight to keep Aurora calm. She had not had so much trouble on that front in months, and even then she was convinced this was the most difficult night she had ever experienced with the beastie. She continuously ran her fingers in soothing motions through her tangled hair in an attempt to quiet the nightmares. It was all she could really do until Aurora told her what had happened. And it was not knowing that made her fear the worst.

Aurora was covered in bruises and welts. She was obviously tortured, but the question was to what degree.

Rage and sorrow ebbed and flowed; each one took turns in which one was more intense. Aurora was never meant to endure so much pain, and Maleficent felt that she had once again failed in her promise that no harm would ever befall her for as long as she lived. It was agony.

"I'm sorry, my love," she murmured. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there to protect you."

Aurora stirred at the words, but she did not wake. She whimpered, and when Maleficent gave her the hand she wasn't using to try and get her to relax, she gave it a squeeze.

Maleficent sobbed freely. All her pent up emotions were finally being released. She just wanted it to be over. She wanted Aurora to have time for her wounds to heal.

Her eyes narrowed at the rustling in the bushes as she assessed whether or not whomever it was posed a threat. Her wings twitched as Balthazar stepped forward, followed by the three pixies and Shae. She inclined her head slightly, allowing them to approach.

"Aurora!" the pixies cried in unison.

"Don't wake her," Maleficent growled warningly as Aurora whimpered. She narrowed her eyes at them until they backed away slowly.

"Queen Aurora!" Shae gasped, horrified.

"The human ally chased off the enemy. There are guards posted along the border, and the human ally has scouts searching for where the false king is hiding. I also found your mate's sword," Balthazar informed. He leaned the sword against the trunk of the Rowan.

"Thank you," Maleficent murmured, momentarily relieved. "Leave us." The pixies and Shae followed Balthazar hesitantly, but they did not argue.

Maleficent tilted her head back to gaze at the crescent moon. It was eerily silent, apart from the occasional whimper from Aurora. It was the calm before the storm. One way or another, she was convinced that this conflict would be resolved within the next couple days. She looked down at Aurora, afraid of her future if she couldn't somehow bring her out of whatever had happened while she was Gregory's prisoner. She feared she would need to be harsh in order to achieve that goal, but she needed Aurora's will to live to return, and sooner rather than later. Under any other circumstance, she might let time heal Aurora, and she regretted that wasn't an option.

* * *

She woke with a gasp and started flailing wildly. A scream tore through her throat.

"Aurora!"

At the sound of her name and the long fingers digging into her arms, she returned to the present. She took quick stock of her surroundings. She was in the Rowan, and Maleficent was holding her. She relaxed, but only slightly.

"I'm here…" Maleficent murmured as she rubbed her back soothingly.

She buried her face in Maleficent's breast and sobbed. The memory of what those men did to her played on repeat in her mind. She flinched away from Maleficent's touch, even as she clung to the faery for dear life.

"You're safe…"

Aurora wanted to believe her, but she couldn't. She just continued to cry and mourn for what was taken from her. It was a long while, but eventually, her sobs were reduced to the occasional hiccup. She remained leaning against Maleficent, just staring blankly into space.

"Diaval…Diaval's dead," she said, feeling numb as the words left her mouth.

She heard Maleficent's quiet sobs and felt her wings draw around them in a protective cocoon. Knowing that she had just caused the love of her life a great deal of pain cut her deep. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that it wasn't so. She was still having trouble wrapping her head around it, but that didn't make it any less false.

"I'm sorry…" she whimpered. "I tried to save him, but I wasn't fast enough… Three men caught me, and…and they…" Her bawling renewed. Talking about what had happened was simply too much, especially with the wounds as fresh as they were.

"Aurora…" was all that Maleficent said as they held each other, mourning the loss of their friend together.

_To be continued…_


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

**A/N: For those of you who have stuck with me through that long hiatus, thank you for your support. As a little treat, I'll be working on a loose crossover upon completing "Trials and Turbulence" that will go live in the coming months. I would like a beta reader for that one, and I'd prefer someone who has an understanding of British history to catch any of my hiccups. If you are interested, please private message me for more details.**

The night air was tense and still. Everyone who survived the skirmish was on edge. There were no celebrations of victory. Fae and men alike were grim. The dead were buried in mass graves. Many of the wounded died within the first few hours following the battle, and those who kept on living were not given much hope of surviving the day.

When dawn finally came, the sky was painted red. Maleficent watched the sunrise with dismal anticipation. Aurora had succumbed to exhaustion only a couple hours before. While her sleep was troubled and the young woman tossed and turned and groaned and whimpered, it was still sleep, and for that Maleficent was a little grateful. After all, some sleep was better than none. The faery knew that Aurora would need every bit of her strength if she had any hope of seeing the battle that was sure to come through. Of course, Maleficent was under no allusion that Aurora had any will to live, and she had to come up with something to remind her queen why she should continue living.

Maleficent found herself wishing that Diaval was with them. He would know just what to do, what to say. She blinked back her tears. He was gone. There was no point in continuing to grieve for him. She had to focus on keeping Aurora alive, or she would go mad with grief.

She ran her fingers through Aurora's hair, so as to remind herself that her lover was right next to her, just as much as it was to soothe Aurora. She leaned down to brush her lips against Aurora's temple.

Hazy blue eyes met her own. There was a frightening moment where Aurora did not seem to recognize her surroundings. She blinked a few times, confused, before she kicked and flailed her arms.

"Aurora…! It's me…" Maleficent held her gently as her heart skipped every other beat. She searched Aurora's eyes, hoping to find recognition there. It took a bit, but she did see it.

"Mal—Maleficent…" Aurora croaked. She buried her face against Maleficent's shoulder and shuddered and shook.

She wrapped her arms around Aurora protectively and drew her wings around them. "I'm here, beastie…" she whispered. She rocked them back and forth as she hummed softly until Aurora calmed down enough to slowly pull away.

Aurora sniffled and looked everywhere but at Maleficent. She pulled her legs against her chest and trembled.

Maleficent observed quietly. She wanted Aurora to tell her what had happened, but she wasn't going to press, at least not yet. She knew that Aurora needed some time to process whatever had happened before she would be ready to speak. She reached out with the intent to caress her cheek, but when Aurora flinched back, she let her hand drop.

At the sound of rustling in the bushes, Aurora jumped, and Maleficent wanted to flay whomever it was. She turned to find that it was one of the redcaps who inhabited a nearby glen. She narrowed her eyes at him until he bowed respectfully.

"Protector, I was sent to inform you that the human army is gathering once more at our border."

She frowned and cursed at the news. She hoped that they had more time; that she had more time to get Aurora to snap back to herself. She cringed. The expression only lasted for a split second, but any faery that saw her would be able to catch it.

"Sound the alarm. Prepare for battle," she commanded in a tone befitting her position.

"Aurora…" she murmured soothingly. She searched her face for any sign that Aurora was present. Faded blue eyes met hers. "Can you fight?" She regretted asking, but she knew that seeing Aurora would be enough to bolster the faeries into fighting harder than ever before to defend their home _and_ their queen.

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Aurora replied softly, her voice cracking slightly. She drew her legs closer to her chest and shuddered.

Her heart broke when she heard the way Aurora assumed she didn't have a choice in the matter. "You always have a choice," she told her gently, but her tone still kept a firmness that conveyed the seriousness of what she said.

Anger sparked in Aurora's eyes. It was short lived, but it was enough to give Maleficent some hope, hope that her beastie would fight and continue fighting in order to live. If they could just survive this battle, then she could put her energy into helping her recover from whatever horrors Gregory and his soldiers subjected her to. She hated that was the reality of their situation, but time was a precious resource.

She reached out to gently caress Aurora's cheek, glad that this time, Aurora didn't jerk away. "Whatever happens today, I want you to continue fighting." She paused, and Aurora leaned further into her touch. "I love you."

There was a long moment where Maleficent wasn't sure if Aurora would respond. Much to her surprise, Aurora leaned forward for a tender kiss. She felt Aurora's soft lips trembling against her own. She slowly drew Aurora closer so that their bodies were pressed together. She pulled away slowly, wishing that moment could last forever. When she looked into Aurora's eyes, she saw some life return to them. It wasn't much, but it was enough to ease just a few of her worries.

"We must hurry to get your armor," she said heavily.

Aurora nodded stiffly. The unspoken words between them hung heavily in the air. At this point, what more could they say? Maleficent certainly didn't know what the humans considered protocol in times like this.

As soon as Maleficent scooped Aurora into her arms, she spread her wings and lunged into the air. She flapped her wings a couple times, hoping to regain lost time. She didn't know much about putting armor on humans, but she knew enough to understand that it took time they really didn't have.

Dust kicked up as she landed next to the makeshift armory. The gnome squinted as he came out of his hovel. "Protector…Queen Aurora." He bowed respectfully as he approached them.

"I asked him to work on your armor day and night," Maleficent told Aurora when she noted the suppressed awe in the blonde's eyes. Her lips twitched into a proud smile as she took the fine piece of work and carefully donned Aurora with it, starting with the leather. She made short work of it, using her magic to aid her where necessary. As much as she wanted to, she did not leave any lingering touches. There would be enough time for that later, if they both survived. She continued with the chainmail before finishing with the scaled plates of armor.

"Armor befitting of a queen. I also made certain that your movements won't be restricted; unlike that rubbish the humans call armor. I used the finest silver in the mines."

"Thank you," Aurora said softly. She finished by attaching her sword to her hip.

Maleficent took a moment to absorb the sight. It was both frightening and magnificent. The armor fitted Aurora well, and not just the way it hugged her curves. It suited her somehow, like she was meant to wear it.

She stamped those thoughts down before taking Aurora once more into her arms and flying them as fast as her wings would take them to the border. When she landed, Gregory's army was lining up and preparing to march.

* * *

As much as she hated the idea of having to fight for her life and home, and probably watch those she loved fight and die at her side, she was glad for the distraction. With her mind filled with the fast approaching battle, she wasn't afforded the luxury of thinking about other things. She couldn't even bring herself to name those other things; they were so horrible. She also had an outlet for her rage against the injustice of that awful situation. She could seek revenge for Diaval, and for what they did to her.

She closed her eyes and tried to relax. There was no turning back now. She looked around her at all those who were left to fight. They looked fiercer than she had ever seen any of those who called the Moors home. But then, she supposed that was just the way the fae were. She knew they couldn't all be sweet and gentle all the time. Even Maleficent wasn't gentle around her all the time.

When she opened her eyes, she took in the size of Gregory's army. It was much larger than she remembered it being. She shuffled a step back and jumped when she felt a firm hand on her back. She turned to find Maleficent at her side. If nothing else, she would fight to protect her.

She took a couple shuddering breaths in an attempt to calm her nerves and center herself in the present. Her friends didn't need to see how terrified she was. She needed to be strong, for them. Once the fighting was done, if she survived, she could disappear. But first, she needed to finish what she started.

"Surrender and live!" Gregory shouted across the empty stretch between the opposing armies.

"Being enslaved is not living!" Aurora shouted back. She tried to keep her voice from shaking, but she doubted she was very successful judging by how Maleficent was squeezing her shoulder.

She turned to her friends, looking at as many of them as she could. She saw barely contained fear in their eyes. Were they convinced Gregory would defeat them? Aurora frowned. That wouldn't do. She had to guarantee their safety before she met her end.

"Lord Gregory stands between you and freedom, the same freedom the Moors has always known! Lord Gregory committed treason! He's a power hungry tyrant! He won't stop at the Moors if he wins! But we will stop him! His madness ends here!"

Shouts and battle cries joined her voice. When she turned around, she saw men trying to back away.

She whipped her sword from its sheath and charged. She only had to run a few paces before the fae army overtook her.

As the two armies clashed, chaos erupted. Screams of anguish filled her ears as blades clashed and shields splintered. She already lost track of where Maleficent was in the fray, and as much as she regretted thinking it, she couldn't worry about her now.

She rolled to the side to avoid a spear thrust that missed her by inches. Her heart pounded in her ears. Before she was even back on her feet to counter, a couple ents were ripping the man apart. It was a gruesome sight, and the screams were chilling. There was no time to waste on feeling sorry for the man, as a sword was coming down on her. She blocked it with her blade and tried pushing back. When it became obvious that the man's weight was too much, she stepped to the side and disengaged long enough to stab him in the back. The sensation of flesh and bones giving way to her blade made bile rise in her throat. She swallowed it as she ripped her sword from the dead man's body.

She moved on to the next soldier and the one after that. After a while, she lost track how many men fell to her blade. She cringed bitterly with each one she killed. They were her subjects, and she was forced to slaughter them like animals.

Weariness came much sooner than she thought possible. The noon sun was beaming down on the battlefield, scorching the land. She fell to her knees, panting hard and the tip of her blade stabbed into the earth.

She felt the sting of a blade cut across the back of her left thigh. She hissed and rolled to the side, avoiding the tip of a spear. With every bit of effort she could muster, she got back on her feet and slashed wildly at the man trying to kill her. Blood splattered her face as she butchered him.

There was no time to think about her kill count. As soon as that man was lying in the pool of his blood with his guts hanging out, five more took his place. She had to continue fighting or die; there was nothing else.

* * *

Maleficent used a combination of her wings and magic to cut her way through Gregory's army. Every so often, she caught a glimpse of golden hair, telling her that Aurora was still fighting, that she was still alive. That was all that she cared about. So long as Aurora was still alive, she would continue fighting.

She leapt to the next throng of soldiers and knocked them back with her wings. A couple nearby ents finished them swiftly.

Before she could take a breath, several men surrounded her. She summoned what energy she could around her hands and sent the men flying in a single vortex. Rather than toy with them, she made their deaths quick and clean.

A glint of yellow caught her eye. She grimaced at the sight of five men surrounding Aurora, but there were at least a couple dozen men between her and Aurora, and she dared not take to the air.

"Fight with me!" she called out, her voice ringing above the cries and chaos surrounding her. "Protect your queen!"

Together, with the aid of her fellow fae, she fought her way to Aurora's side. The cuts of the soldiers' blades stung, but that did not slow her. If anything, they provided her with the determination to be at Aurora's side.

"There are too many!" Aurora cried as she gutted another soldier. Her armor and face were splattered with the blood and guts of those she had slain. The sight horrified Maleficent, but only because she knew the woman at her side as someone who was always so kind and gentle. War had corrupted that.

"We need to find Gregory and put an end to this madness!" she replied before punching a man until his brains were mixed in the soil.

"Where's Phillip?"

Maleficent grimaced. She had not seen nor heard Phillip's army join them like they were supposed to. She feared for the worst, but she kept her silence. All they could do was continue fighting until they found Gregory and could put an end to this carnage.

She focused her energy on fighting off a band of six men. She hit them with the force of her wings, and sent them back for her comrades to finish. Their dying screams rang in her ears.

When she turned around, Aurora had her sword deeply embedded in a man's gut. Judging by the way his mace was raised, she guessed that he had been about to strike her down. She nodded at Aurora in a show of gratitude for saving her life.

They stood back to back as more men surrounded them. Maleficent's heart raced as she tried to figure out how they were going to get out of this particular predicament. The one question that kept repeating in her mind was if their luck had finally run its course. She was exhausted, and if she had to guess, Aurora was as well. There were at least fifteen men closing in on them. And by the looks of things, the battle was not going well for the fae. Gregory's forces greatly outnumbered their own. It made the previous day's victory seem way too easy.

"Aurora…"

"I know…" Aurora panted.

* * *

Aurora tried shaking off the strain of the battle. Every muscle in her body burned. She didn't know how much strength she had left. She could barely raise her sword. She doubted that she would survive, but she would do everything in her power to keep Maleficent alive.

"Flee to the Moors…call a retreat. Regroup and fight another day."

"What?" Maleficent seethed.

Aurora flinched at the bite in the faery's tone. She put it aside long enough to slit a man's throat and parried a sword. She pushed the second man back and hacked his skull apart while Maleficent killed a couple.

"We can't win…not today. I can't allow my kingdom to live under Gregory's tyranny!"

"I'm not leaving you behind!"

"I'll just slow you down!" Aurora glared at her defiantly. The distraction allowed for an arrow to go through her left shoulder. She cried out as pain radiated from the puncture.

"Aurora!" Green tendrils surrounded her, and the next thing she knew, all the soldiers within a fifteen-foot radius were struck down. She didn't see what did it, but within moments, their lives were snuffed out as though they had been nothing.

"Aurora!" She looked up at the second voice to call out to her. Even through her blurred vision, she could see that it was Phillip. She almost collapsed with relief. They were saved now that Phillip had joined and reinforced their numbers.

Without any warning, Phillip stabbed a nearby pixie through the heart. Aurora could not believe what she was seeing. It had to be a trick orchestrated by Gregory to make her think Phillip would betray her. Or that the pain from the arrow embedded in her shoulder was making her think she saw Phillip butchering the pixie.

The shriek coming from Maleficent made her fear for the worst…

_To be continued…_


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

**A/N: I would like to thank those of you who took the time to leave reviews on the last chapter. I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for about a year. I just hope that I did justice to this chapter.**

Time seemed to hold still. Aurora couldn't comprehend why Phillip would do such an awful thing. There was no way that what she was seeing was real. She was hallucinating; she had to be. Phillip wouldn't betray her like that; he _wasn't_ like that. As the surrounding fae who were witness to his betrayal turned on him, he cut them down. All she could feel through the numbing shock was the arrow sticking out of her shoulder, and that was dulled to an ache. She wanted to cry out, but her voice was caught in her throat.

" _Murderer! Oath-breaker!_ " Maleficent shrieked before launching at him.

Aurora watched, eyes peeled open as two of the people she trusted most in the world fought with the intent of only one of them coming out alive. She wanted it to stop, but she also knew that no matter what, Maleficent would never forgive Phillip, and would never forgive her if she interfered, unless it was to help tear his limbs apart. She wasn't even sure if it was in her to forgive him for something like that.

She forced herself back to her feet. Her legs shook with the effort it took, and she staggered and swayed, but she did it all the same. She hissed through gritted teeth as she raised her sword to kill one she once considered a friend.

"Aurora, stay back!" Maleficent snarled, sounding almost animalistic. The way she fought was vaguely animalistic too. She went in for quick strikes and retreated before Phillip could strike back, almost like a cat playing with its prey. She wanted Phillip to suffer for what he did.

Aurora wanted his death to be quick and honorable, but she didn't have the strength to carry it out. Despite what he did, he was still a prince. Protocol demanded that she give him a fair trial before executing him as a traitor. She also knew that there was no way Maleficent would ever agree to take him prisoner. No, all that she could do was stand there and watch the horrific scene unfold.

"To Prince Phillip!" someone shouted over the fray surrounding them.

Aurora's breath caught in her throat. This was bad. If Phillip's army really had betrayed them, they had no chance of victory, let alone survival. She hung her head in defeat. What little hope she had regained since waking that morning was now lost. She had counted on Phillip's army to turn the tide, and now it appeared that he had betrayed her. Part of her wanted to know why. Were all men really as greedy as Maleficent had warned? She didn't want to believe it.

She watched as Maleficent continued to beat Phillip down. She barely noticed the three ents and band of pixies, all battle worn, guarding her from the human soldiers. It frightened her to see Maleficent fighting in such a way. The closest she had ever seen the faery get to this was the night they fought against her father, and back then, she had prayed that she would never have to witness such a thing again.

* * *

Not since Stefan took her wings had she felt a rage as consuming as what she felt as she savagely fought against Phillip. She was enraged at him on Aurora's behalf. They had trusted him, against her better judgment, and to have him betray them in such a barbaric manner was beyond even her ability to understand.

All she knew was that she wanted to kill him, to rip him apart limb by limb until there was nothing left. Then she wanted to leave him to the scavenging birds to pick at his flesh until all that remained were his scattered bones. Her primal nature had taken over, and not even Aurora could stop her until her bloodlust could be sated.

"It's over, witch. You've lost. Surrender now, and Aurora might be able to persuade me to let you live out your days in servitude."

Maleficent's upper lip curled up in an animalistic snarl. She paced back and forth, looking for an opening she could exploit. Her wings twitched in her need to butcher him.

"Maleficent!" Aurora cried, but her voice sounded distant.

She launched herself at Phillip with her hand extended. She took him by the throat and pinned him down. The iron armor burned her skin; she ignored it. Being able to choke the life out of Phillip made the pain worth it.

"Prince Phillip!" several voices shouted.

Several pairs of arms hauled her forcefully off him. She snarled and tried to fight back, but they were too much in her current state. She managed to knock them back with her wings, but as she freed herself, they were dragging Phillip away. She made to pursue them, but a pair of small hands tugged on her robes.

She paused, ready to strike down whoever dared stop her from going after Phillip. When she looked down to see that it was Aurora, she stopped.

"Beastie…?" her voice cracked with concern. She held Aurora gently.

"We need to focus on…" She hissed and grimaced. "We need to find Gregory… And end this… We can deal with Phillip a different day…"

Maleficent nodded stiffly. Though she would rather go after Phillip now, she knew that the only way they could take care of that problem was to defeat Gregory and try to reestablish order and plan for the inevitable declaration of war against Ulstead. She turned to the nearest pixie.

"Find Gregory. Do not engage him. Report back to me," she ordered.

She turned back to Aurora. The exhaustion and pain were clearly evident in the way her face was set in an attempt to not let it show, and the shallow breaths she took. "Time to put a stop to Gregory's madness," she declared in the hope that would be enough to boost Aurora's strength. All she got in response was a slow nod. It worried her. Aurora was too weak to continue fighting, though she knew that her young lover would insist on finishing Gregory herself. She admired that determination and dedication to seeing this through, but she also feared that in doing so, Aurora would die.

She watched helplessly as her friends continued to fight to protect them from the advancing soldiers. She desperately wanted to flee, to take Aurora behind the wall of thorns where they would be safe. But she also knew that they wouldn't get a chance like this again, and that Aurora would never agree to allowing the people of Alba to live under Gregory's tyranny.

Waiting for the pixie to return seemed to take an eternity. Time was working against them. The longer they waited, the more danger Aurora would be in. She kept searching for the pixie frantically, hoping.

Eventually, the wee creature zipped over to her, looking half dead. Her lips pursed as the pixie told her that Gregory was commanding his forces from a nearby tor. From the frazzled report, she was able to gather that he was still fresh. She grimaced; that wasn't the news she had hoped for. She looked down at Aurora, who looked like she could hardly stand on her own. If she took Aurora to face him, she felt that she would be taking her as an offering to slaughter.

"Let's finish this," Aurora hissed through gritted teeth.

"Aurora, let me," Maleficent replied in a gentle but firm tone.

She shook her head. "It's got to be me."

Maleficent pursed her lips in a frown. She disagreed wholeheartedly with that statement, but arguing would do neither of them any good. She had to admire the beastie's strength, despite herself. But that admiration could get Aurora killed if she wasn't careful.

She swallowed a mouthful of bile as she nodded. She held Aurora as close as she dared and darted into the air, careful not to jostle the woman in her arms. Her powerful wings shot gusts of wind down at the human armies, knocking soldiers off balance long enough for the fae who remained time to kill them. It wasn't much, but she was glad to be able to help as she went to face whatever fate had in store for her and Aurora.

She took what could have been their last moment together to steal a tender kiss before landing in a clearing near Gregory and his personal guard. She set Aurora back on her feet as gently as she could manage, silently praying that she was wrong about bringing Aurora to certain doom.

* * *

Aurora's breath caught in her throat as she looked at Gregory. She didn't know what she expected when she did finally face him after all he had done, but she certainly didn't anticipate the fear and dread that chilled her to the bones. Her grip on her sword's hilt tightened as she stepped in front of Maleficent. Each movement sent waves of agonizing pain through her body, but was mostly centered around her shoulder. She hid it behind a mask.

"Gregory, this ends here," she declared in a voice that sounded stronger than she felt. She glared at him with every ounce of rage she could muster.

"You are a false queen," Gregory sneered. He turned to face her, his face twisted with dark glee. His expression frightened her, more than she cared to admit in that moment.

She put her fear aside. Everything came down to the next few minutes. She hoped that all of Maleficent's training was enough; she believed that it was. Sometimes that wasn't enough.

"I challenge you to single combat," Aurora said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

He laughed at her, and his guards joined him. Once he stopped, he stepped closer to her with his mace in his right hand and shield in his left. "I accept," he replied darkly.

Aurora took a moment to study him. His armor was cumbersome, and would slow him down. She figured that so long as she was quick, even if only slightly quicker than him, she stood a chance of defeating him. And if by some chance she failed, she had no doubt that Maleficent would succeed. At the very least, she could weaken him. That alone would be enough for her.

She spread her feet slightly and held her sword in a defensive stance. Her heart thudded erratically as adrenaline pumped through her body. The pain in her shoulder even dulled to an ache, which she counted as a blessing.

He charged toward her, his lumbering form moving awkwardly due to his heavy armor. She stepped to the side as his mace came swinging down at her. It missed her by a few inches. She took a chance to stab him, but his shield halted her blade. The clash rang over the other sounds of the battle surrounding them. She didn't bother trying to push him back; she knew she wasn't strong enough for that, so she backed away as his mace came swinging at her head. She ducked, and not a moment too soon. She could feel the swish of air as the mace passed over her head.

Panic flooded her when she felt her legs being kicked out from under her. She landed on her good shoulder and used her sword to block his mace from smashing in her ribcage. She kicked him in the groin, which gave her a few precious moments as he howled in pain and rage to get back to her feet.

She backed up several paces as he swung his mace wildly at her. Eventually, her luck seemed to run dry. His mace nicked her several times, all in quick succession. First on her left thigh, second down her face from her right eyebrow to her chin, then below her left breast, and finally along her gut. None of them were very deep, but they stung and burned. The one running down from her eyebrow was the most problematic. With the blood oozing from the wound, she had to keep that eye shut.

She fell to her knees in defeat. It didn't matter to her if she lived or died at this point. Her wounds were too much for her, both physical and mental. This war had taken too much from her. The fight had simply been beat out of her. She was tired, and she wanted to finally rest from all the fighting.

"Aurora!" Maleficent cried out.

Hearing her voice snapped her right out of her pessimistic thoughts. She had one reason left that made living worth it. What surely would be a deathblow, she dodged and thrust her sword clear through Gregory's throat.

His blood splattered against her face as he choked and gargled on his own blood. The shock and disbelief in his eyes was one expression she would never forget, and despite herself, she took some satisfaction in knowing that she was the cause for it.

It was done… With that thought, the world around her went dark.

_To be continued…_


	28. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**A/N: End of the journey, and its been one hell of a trip. What started out as a short little exercise ended up being a year long "adventure." I'm planning on a sequel at some point, as there are things that I haven't addressed in this story. More on that in the coming weeks or months, depending on when I get around to plotting the basic framework and draft the first few chapters.**

As soon as Aurora collapsed, Maleficent rushed to her side. She snarled at any man who dared approach. The humans had lost their false king, but that mattered naught to her. She feared that Aurora was dead. She shouldn't have allowed her to fight Gregory in her state. The exertion was too much.

She was relieved to find her beastie still breathing; albeit, it was shallow. Once that was established, she looked up at the soldiers, and was somewhat surprised to see them dropping their weapons.

"Spread the word among your ranks that Gregory has fallen. Surrender, and you will be allowed to go home to your families." Her voice betrayed her weariness, but she didn't care.

She took Aurora carefully into her arms after dislodging the sword from Gregory's throat and took to the skies. She didn't land until they were safely at the Rowan. She gently settled Aurora on her left side with her head resting in her lap. She gently trailed her fingers through her hair when she heard a weak whimper.

In her mind, she was screaming with anguish. First, she lost Diaval, and now she was quite possibly losing Aurora. She had no way of knowing the full extent of the damage, but she knew it was bad. She took Aurora's hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Malle…" Aurora's voice was raspy.

"I'm here, beastie," she whispered, shuddering.

"It hurts, Malle…"

"What can I do?" She blinked back tears. Was she doomed to being alone? Did the gods hate her so much to curse her with such a fate? She felt helpless, and she resented it. Again and again, she just kept failing Aurora; she couldn't even keep a simple promise.

"Save the Moors… Protect them from Gregory…" She tensed and hissed. Her grip on Maleficent's hand hardened before she went limp and her breathing became all but nonexistent.

"Aurora? No…you can't die…I forbid it, beastie…" Her breath caught in her throat as it tightened. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she held Aurora closer, and she wailed to the heavens in a plea to bring her beastie back. She couldn't continue on her own.

The world seemed to hold still. For how long, Maleficent wasn't certain. It didn't really matter. Aurora was gone. She had known it was always a possibility when this forsaken conflict began, but she hoped it wouldn't come to pass. Not yet, at least. She was supposed to watch Aurora grow old. Time was stolen from her. Twenty-two summers was too short for someone who was as full of life as Aurora had been. It was especially cruel to lose Aurora right after defeating Gregory.

Memories floated in her mind. The contempt she felt for Aurora in the beginning. Some of the times she saved Aurora when the three pixies were not up to the task of raising a human child. Aurora's unwavering innocence as she grew into womanhood. Her first time in the Moors. Her endless questions. Her radiance during her coronation. Their first kiss. Their first time together. Most of Maleficent's memories of her were of her smile and how sickingly intoxicating it was and how much it always served to lift her spirits, even when she resisted. All their hardships seemed meaningless next to all that.

She gripped the arrow shaft and snapped the end off. Then she pushed it the rest of the way through. Much to her shock and jubilation, Aurora screamed. She could hardly believe it; Aurora was alive!

"Aurora?!" Her voice wavered. She didn't care if anyone was around to hear her. Aurora was alive; that was all that mattered.

She braced herself as she took hold of the arrowhead. She hissed, but the pain was meaningless next to her desire to tend to Aurora's injuries. All hope was not lost, but she had to act fast if she was going to save Aurora's life.

"I'm sorry… I've got to get this arrowhead out."

"Just do it…!" Aurora hissed after she caught her breath.

Maleficent nodded once. She really wished she had a second pair of hands, but that was neither here nor there. She was on her own, and she would stop at nothing to save Aurora.

She threw the arrowhead aside and put pressure on the entry and exit wounds. She tried to ignore Aurora's whimpering, to remind herself that what she was doing would save Aurora's life. She whispered words of encouragement in an attempt to soothe the younger woman.

Magic welled up inside her. She called upon it, focusing on harnessing the same healing energies she used on trees. She had never tried her healing magic on a human before, but Aurora was more of the Moors than she was the human kingdom. Perhaps it would work on her the same as any living thing in the Moors? It was worth a try. She molded her magic to heal the wound. It took longer than she was accustomed to, but flesh and skin began regenerating. Where the hole once was, there was now a pink scar; one among the many Aurora was collecting.

She gently stroked Aurora's sweat soaked hair a couple times before she took Aurora's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You're bleeding," she remarked bitterly.

Aurora grimaced. Her hazy eyes met Maleficent's for a brief moment before she passed out. She was still breathing, more steady than a bit ago, so she simply let her rest; she had more than earned it.

* * *

She didn't know how much time had past, but when she did finally regain consciousness, she felt a warm body next to hers. She shifted to snuggle deeper into the warmth and comfort.

"Aurora…?" a soft voice murmured.

"Five more minutes," she mumbled.

"You've been asleep for three days. As much as I'm content having you sleep in my arms, you need to eat, and I need to change your bandages."

Aurora frowned. Was the battle really three days ago? She remembered fighting alongside the faeries. She also remembered Phillip betraying them. She grimaced at that memory. She wondered how many had been lost as a result of Gregory's madness. The thought turned her stomach, but there was nothing for her to purge.

After a long moment of being lost in her thoughts, she opened her eyes. Her eyes welled up with tears unexpectedly when they locked with Maleficent's. She tried to blink them back.

"Is it the pain?" Maleficent asked quickly.

Aurora shook her head. She quickly buried her face in Maleficent's shoulder and wept. Having Maleficent simply hold her brought her immense comfort after all the hardships she had been through over the last few days. All the memories and sensations hit all at once. They threatened to drive her into madness, even as Maleficent pulled her closer. It was all too much for her to handle, and she wanted it to end. In her mind, she begged for death to come along and take her away from her misery. She didn't know if she had the strength that was required to go on, not after what had happened, not after the way those men defiled her. She cried out as those memories came to the surface and buried her face in Maleficent's shoulder in a futile attempt to hide from them.

"Aurora…? What is it…?"

She shook her head violently. She couldn't bring herself to tell Maleficent, not yet at least. So she continued sobbing until weariness turned them into hiccups. After a little while, she pulled away.

She leaned into Maleficent's touch as the faery gently wiped away her tears. The tenderness of the touch was almost enough to send her into another bout of tears. In her mind, she didn't see how anyone would want to be with her after what those men did to her. It was partially for that reason that she kept her silence on the matter. It was not a burden that Maleficent should have to bear; it was hers and hers alone. In response to such a display of affection, she kissed the palm of Maleficent's hand and inhaled the faery's scent shakily.

She looked around for the first time since she awoke. They were in the Rowan, and much to her surprise, there was none of the usual bustling about of the fae. She frowned. "It's so quiet," she commented with sadness.

"I asked everyone to stay away from here while you recover," Maleficent explained.

Aurora nodded. That made sense, but a darker part of her wondered just how many of the fae were lost to the battle. She opened her mouth to ask, but as soon as she did, Maleficent popped blackberry after blackberry in her mouth. As soon as the blackberries were gone, it was acorns and walnuts. Eventually, she gave up. She would find out soon enough, and part of her dreaded having that knowledge.

As soon as she convinced Maleficent she was full, the faery dressed her wounds. The one on her stomach was worse than she had originally thought. The rest were healing quite nicely though. She thanked Maleficent before curling up and falling right back to sleep. She knew that if it weren't for the fatigue, she wouldn't sleep, but the over-tiredness kept her from dreaming, and thus kept the nightmares at bay, at least for the immediate future.

* * *

Over the next few days, Aurora grew stronger. She was able to remain awake for longer intervals. On the fifth day since she first woke up, she was able to take a walk near the Rowan with Maleficent's aid.

The fae who were not kept busy clearing up the mess from the battle, and who were healthy enough started to come around to visit. Shae even visited before going off to live at a farm not far from the Moors. Maleficent stayed at her side, even during these visits. She watched closely for any signs of weariness, and once she saw those signs, she dismissed Aurora's friends. She also knew that the smiles were forced in order to hide the pain.

Knotgrass, Thistlewit, and Flittle visited often. Maleficent retreated into her thoughts to save her sanity during these particular visits. She had always been impatient with the trio of pixies, but she wasn't going to do anything that might dampen Aurora's spirits. It was also especially during these visits that she missed Diaval.

Once the battle was concluded, and she was certain that Aurora had made it through the worst of her recovery, she mourned properly for the loss of her friend. He had always been loyal to her, and she wished that she had shown more gratitude for his service while he was alive.

"Malle…" Aurora murmured some time after they retired to the Rowan.

"Hm?" She blinked and looked down at Aurora.

"I need to return to Alba."

Maleficent grimaced. She knew Aurora was right. She needed to return to secure stability back to her kingdom before Phillip launched an attack. She just hated the thought of Aurora being anywhere where she couldn't protect her. Not that she hadn't done a stellar job with that to begin with, she thought with self-loathing. It seemed every time she turned around, she was doing something to screw that up. Still, that didn't keep her from trying. Despite herself, she nodded. "When your injuries have healed."

"They're mostly healed," Aurora countered. "All thanks to your tender care," she added, cuddling closer to her.

Maleficent let out a half-snort, half-chuckle before leaning in to pepper Aurora's face with small kisses, leaving the tip of her nose for last. "You just want to leave the Moors," she replied, trying to sound hurt.

"You could always come with."

"Is that what you wish?"

Aurora nodded.

"Then I will follow you wherever you go, so long as you wish," Maleficent promised, and for the first time in a very long time, everything was starting to feel right with the world.

It was true that a deep shadow hung over them, but Maleficent had Aurora in her arms. That was all she needed. So long as she had Aurora, she felt like she could face anything that came for them. And she would fight fiercely to protect that.

_Finis…_


End file.
